I have used Linux exclusively on my home PC for over ten years.
Pros: Very stable, no need to buy extra software just to make the thing work (such as virus protection and firewall software). The price is right, and almost any application you might want is available for free, with the exception of games.
Cons: Some understanding of UNIX is needed, even with the newer distributions. Some of the software is a little clunkier than the commercial equivalents. For example, the most popular office application, OpenOffice.org, doesn't have all the features of Microsoft Office. (It is also free, while MS Office lists for several hundred dollars.)
Probably the biggest single issue with Linux is hardware support. Pretty much any hardware you have that is at least a year old will be fine. But newer hardware can be iffy. Most hardware manufacturers still see Linux as a niche market and won't spend the time and money to make sure their stuff will run under Linux. This leaves it to hardcore Linux users to write the device drivers required to make new hardware run.
A have almost twenty years of UNIX/Linux experience, so Linux is a much more comfortable environment for me than Windows. At work I switch back and forth constantly from my Windows laptop to my UNIX workstation. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. At home I will never go back to Windows. Although XP is not too bad of an OS, any of the Windows releases prior to Windows 2000 were absolute garbage and should never have been shipped to customers.
My recommendation to you is this: Download a "Live CD" and check it out. Knoppix is a very good "live" distribution; just plug the CD into you PC and boot up. This will give you a little exposure to Linux so you can see how it behaves. And if you have a friend who has a little Linux or UNIX experience and is willing to help you out, go ahead and install Ubuntu Linux. You may decide that you don't need Windows after all.
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Today's Featured Article - History of the Nuffield Tractor - by Anthony West. The Nuffield tractor story started in early 1945. The British government still reeling from the effects of the war on the economy, approached the Nuffield organization to see if they would design and build an "ALL NEW" British built wheeled tractor, suitable for both British and world farming.
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