www.ubuntu.com

deadlifter,
May I suggest that you download the latest version as a LiveCD as this will run without installing so that you can see if it will work with your hardware. When finished it will leave your machine unaltered.

What you get;

Features, Get Ubuntu, Burn an ISO LiveCD + A large support community.

You should now be in a position to load the LiveCD, reboot and take Ubuntu for a run without changing or altering your machine at all.

I have used Ubuntu for quite a few years and if you are not locked into using Microsoft software then give it a go. You can also install Ubuntu in dual boot mode so as to have the ability to run Microsoft Operating systems with Ubuntu operating system on the same machine but you can think about that next week.

OK, i will have a go when i have found a cd

Unless you are a software developer or have some direct experience with distributed system then I would say - forget it. Ubuntu apps (including Open Office, Rhythmbox music player, movie player, etc.) kind of work but the UI is not highly polished as Windows or Mac apps. However, the system as whole is extremely reliable and fast. You can run it for years without rebooting, basically Ubuntu (or rather Linux) is much more suitable to be deployed in servers.

I say give it a go. With a Live CD you've got nothing to lose.

Another distro I've been using recently is LinuxMint.

I was originally told linux, i may have a dabble with the live cd, but as i have said my computer knowledge and experience are minimal and i can be fazed and show violent tendency to the computer in milliseconds

Have you tried a Live CD yet?

quote:

Originally posted by deadlifter:
I was originally told linux, i may have a dabble with the live cd, but as i have said my computer knowledge and experience are minimal and i can be fazed and show violent tendency to the computer in milliseconds

Done that, and got the T-shirt!

There was something very satisfying about throwing a big computer into a skip from a good ten foot up, and hear it disintegrate into thousands of pieces!

Hehehehehehehehehehe!

Not tried the live cd yet been to busy and still have to find a cd to put it on

I've used Ubuntu currently 9.10,its not as complicated as some people would have you believe.
You may also like to try Kubuntu as it has a more windows like interface.
There is loads of software which can be downloaded with a couple of mouse clicks via the software centre or the synaptic package manager.
Once you have tried it from the live cd it can be installed from the desktop install icon or from within windows wubi and windows add remove programs,add remove programs can also uninstall it.

Or just get AmigaOS 4 and you'll never need to upgrade again.