windows or linux

[Wipeout]

i was thinking of changing up my O.S from windows 7 to linux but i dont know what version of linux is best to use. so im calling on any linux users to give me some info ( or their own opinion ) on what version they think is best.

thanks

[Tyrian]

I use Ubuntu Linux ( http://www.ubuntu.com ) on my MacBook.. dualboot setup. Works like a charm

[Arkenaw]

Windows. All I know about linux is penguin.

[Fuzzzie]

Moved to the Computer Forum.

[Deleted]

If you are new to Linux, I highly recommend Mint (it is based on Ubuntu which is also ok).

You also do not have to make the change completely. You can try downloading and booting off a Live CD or you can install it to a virtual machine.

[Punisher]

It depends what do you want to do
For gaming stay on windows 7 (we are on a WoW forum, so I presume that you are a gamer)
For programming/emailing/ or anything else beside gaming, linux can be a good experience

I have used a lot of linux distributions, and Mint is really nice, but Ubuntu stays my favorite

[Cyanotical]

if you are gaming, stick with windows, linux has another year or so before it's ready for a full time install on a gaming rig


otherwise, Ubuntu is going to have the best support, linux Mint is a close second, personally i prefer Sabayon, but it's not for linux noobs,

CentOS is probably gonna be the most stable, but you'd be lucky if you can get freecell to run on it


Gentoo and Arch are not pre compiled, but are a great way to learn linux if you prefer to jump feet first into the deep end (a deep end infested with shark/piranha hybrids with lasers attached to their heads)

Ubuntu is probably the best choice for first time users, and at some point Mint was based on Ubuntu but i don't know if it still is

Sabayon is a rolling distro, meaning that it is a bleeding edge OS, this has ups and downs, the ups are that you can upgrade the entire OS to a new version without losing settings or having to reinstall, the downs are that the latest updates may not be stable or compatible with your software

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

If you want to play games, they will work 99% of the time on Windows 7 or 8 without a problem. The other 1% will work if run in compatibility mode or with administrator permissions. The same cannot be said for Linux.

[noteworthynerd]

I'm going to echo what the three above me said. I would not switch to Linux full-time for gaming, especially if you're unfamiliar with it. There are still tons and tons of games that do not have native Linux support.

If you are truly interested in Linux, consider installing it to a USB flash drive or an extra partition on your hard drive. In other words: do not get rid of your Windows installation.