The Switch From Windows To Linux.

To JS: You mentioned your OS experience but did not elaborate on your Professional/Amateur Goals in this Wild World of Computing. If one goal is to do Computing System/Cloud Administration, then pursue Linux via PC's. If it is Coding OR using-Apps, then Windows is still the 500 lb. gorilla in the Room. If you like PC Hardware then go RaspPi/Linux-Debian OS. In previous Live(s), I was a EE, then a Unix Administrator... I have moved on, but if I was still a Back-Office Guy, I am pretty sure I would be heavy into Unix/Linux. Presently, I am more into Model-Based Design/Evaluation of H/W & S/W (think Mathworks' MatLab). I know MatLab also runs under Linux (as well as Windows). But my PC's were already Windows. And you don't change Horses in Mid-Stream. Then there is the 600 lb. gorilla in the room. MONEY. What can you afford? Is it cost-effective? You have to do a Cost-Benefits Analysis. With H/W & S/W Costs being pretty Low (here in 2017), you will have to more heavily-weigh the Benefits. So it comes back to what you want to do Professionally/Amateur(ly). Will concentrating on Linux help you towards your Goals?

USCDADNYC (NY NY USA)

To USCDADNYC: Those are some very good points you brought up. Well I'm really into open source and DIY kinda stuff and Linux makes me feel like I can accomplish more because of that. Well being a student the cost of absolutely free it pretty great. Plus working in Linux as in coding in the terminal is pretty fun. Also what is Unix?

I'm still kinda new to the world of technology even Linux and basic/intermediate electronics. So I ask a lot of questions. What is EE also.

-Jade Smith USA

To JS: You mentioned that you were a Student. If you are HS (High School) OR College, consider buying a IRISPen Air 7. Cost =~$150.00. This is a handheld line-by-line OCR (Optical Character Recognition) Scanner. Any printed text (ex: in a physical Book) can be scanned into a PC's/Apple's App. If you have Microsoft Word opened on your PC, any text that you scan, goes directly into Word. I think it works w/ any App. This Air 7 is most useful in the Social Sciences/English/Foreign-Language/etc... Anywhere Printed Text is the media you want get into your PC. Note: I am using the term "PC" to include Apple products b/c the Air 7, works w/ both PC and Apple. BTW1 (By The Way) If you scan Foreign Language Text, your PC will pronounce the words. AAR (At Any Rate) this Air 7 is of limited use in studying Physical/Engineering Sciences. IDT (I Don't Think) it handles Formulas too well. But fortunately most of the Physical/Engineering Science material is already in Digital Form. The Air 7 is great for that History Course that you have to do a Term Paper in, and you have to "quote" Text from some obscure book that you are using as a Reference. I wished I had this Air 7, when I was in College. I was BSEE, Syracuse University 1973 (EE = Electrical Engineering). BTW2 Unix (i feel) is the precursor OS to Linux. It was developed in AT&T-Bell Labs in the 1970's(?). Being a student, I can imagine that your (money) Budget is Tight. You might want to check-out MOOCs (Massively Open Online Courses) like at coursera.org OR edx.org to supplement your actual College(?) Course Work. These two URLs mentioned are FREE. But for Technical/Hands-on Subjects there is udemy.com. But this a PAID Site. But they have Promo(s) when you can gain access at $10 (USD)/course.

USCDADNYC (NY NY USA)

BTW3 my (now) Adult Daughter graduated from USC (Los Angeles Ca. USA)

To JS: You mentioned that you were a Student. If you are HS (High School) OR College, consider buying a IRISPen Air 7. Cost =~$150.00. This is a handheld line-by-line OCR (Optical Character Recognition) Scanner. Any printed text (ex: in a physical Book) can be scanned into a PC's/Apple's App. If you have Microsoft Word opened on your PC, any text that you scan, goes directly into Word. I think it works w/ any App. This Air 7 is most useful in the Social Sciences/English/Foreign-Language/etc... Anywhere Printed Text is the media you want get into your PC. Note: I am using the term "PC" to include Apple products b/c the Air 7, works w/ both PC and Apple. BTW1 (By The Way) If you scan Foreign Language Text, your PC will pronounce the words. AAR (At Any Rate) this Air 7 is of limited use in studying Physical/Engineering Sciences. IDT (I Don't Think) it handles Formulas too well. But fortunately most of the Physical/Engineering Science material is already in Digital Form. The Air 7 is great for that History Course that you have to do a Term Paper in, and you have to "quote" Text from some obscure book that you are using as a Reference. I wished I had this Air 7, when I was in College. I was BSEE, Syracuse University 1973 (EE = Electrical Engineering). BTW2 Unix (i feel) is the precursor OS to Linux. It was developed in AT&T-Bell Labs in the 1970's(?). Being a student, I can imagine that your (money) Budget is Tight. You might want to check-out MOOCs (Massively Open Online Courses) like at coursera.org OR edx.org to supplement your actual College(?) Course Work. These two URLs mentioned are FREE. But for Technical/Hands-on Subjects there is udemy.com. But this a PAID Site. But they have Promo(s) when you can gain access at $10 (USD)/course.

USCDADNYC (NY NY USA)

BTW3 my (now) Adult Daughter graduated from USC (Los Angeles Ca. USA)

I wish I could afford something like that. That's a very heavy price, I've spent that much building pc's in the past. Like cereal and ramen noodles with a dash of coffee is what I survive off of.