Experiences

Since one week I use openSUSE in addition to Windows. It is a free linux-distribution. It took one night downloading the DVD.

Suse found all my hardware correctly so I could directly start working.
The great looking of KDE (the desktop environment) was the first positive thing I noticed. You can easly change its appearance.

All essential software is inculded:

• OpenOffice
  
• A music player like WinAmp and a more extendet one. But not as good as Foobar2000.
  
• Opera and Firefox
  
• at least one programm for watching video-files and DVDs
  
• image editing with gimp and varios vektor editing programms
  
• instant messanger
  
• data-compression tool
  
• burn CDs
  
• lot's of other cool stuff
  

There are much more positive aspects of Susu but also some annoying things:

• drivers. Its hard to find the right driver for your graphics card and getting it work well. After a week my graphic card does not work well.
  
• filessystem. On windows you know: on "C:\windows" is the operating system with all its files and stuff none really knows or needs to edit. All your Programms and their file are on C:\programms. Everything is so simple
  On Linux you have 10 folders with strange names I dont understand and in which I am not interested in. Strange.
  
• CDs. You think opening a CD is one of the simplest things? On Windows your are right and also on Linux it is not really diffucult but annoying. No simple klicking on the CD-Icon and go, you have to "mount" the CD. Why can't make Linux all this stuff for me?! I simply want to open a CD/DVD.
  
• Linux and Windows in one network works but its not the easiest for beginners.
  
• All in all: More simplicity.
  
  

to be continued