Ubuntu for work pcs

[Pokot]

I understand this might be somewhat of a big question and if you think it is, please let me know.

So the small business where I work still runs old 1gb ram/who knows what CPU laptops (someone's genius idea from years ago) with WinXP on them. They don't employ an IT guy or outsource for one because 'why pay someone if Pokot can do everything by himself and we'll just promise him a nice endyear bonus that he'll never actually see'.

Rants aside, with Microsoft dropping support for XP, people constantly infecting their computers and the company not having that much spare money to both buy new PCs and upgrade to Win 7 or 8 I was thinking of going Ubuntu. I'd probably like to buy new PCs one by one and introduce the office to the new OS. However, I don't have any experience with Linux. So the questions are:

a) Would a guy without many tech skills (build PC, install Win, optimize) be able to install and support (i.e. not ever touch) several workstations with Ubuntu on them?
b) What do you think would be sufficient hardware for Ubuntu installations and proper performance?
c) Are there any network shenanigans or compatibility issues with Microsoft OS considering our accountants will have to use Windows anyways?
d) Do you think it's generally a decent idea or we should just suck it up and buy Windows?

I'll maybe add more questions if I come up with something. Thanks.

[Deleted]

Try it yourself and find out, so you get that experience. Start with 1 computer to test it out in the work enviroment (for file format compatibility and stuff). Now if the company uses some specially tailored software for Windows XP then there is a high chance that the program wont even work on the newer Windows OS machines.

[SirPiken]

This is really a question of what software they have to use.

[Pokot]

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I suppose you are right. Especially evn. If I so want to test out Ubuntu, there is no reason to do it at work and potentially cause trouble both for company and myself. I just really wanted to avoid begging bosses to buy so much equipment and software but I guess there's no avoiding it. Thanks.