Topic: !!!FILE MAYHEM!!!

[VANGUARD]

I'm planning on going with the Ubuntu OS..........I like their philosophy on being free and open-sourced.

You're basically describing every linux OS. Granted, some may offer different versions or flavors. Like Mandriva. It offers "One", which basically just boots off the CD-ROM ( I know other linux systems have this, just not all). There is "Free", yes, free, on a CD as well. Then there's powerpack (DVD), not free, but still far cheaper than Windows.

If Ubuntu still looks good, go for it. You're only out time, no money. I like Mandriva myself, but, that's my opinion.

[D2Disciple]

Any external hard drive should suffice. Linux can read Apple HFS+ Journaled disks, FAT16, FAT32, and NTFS Windows disks, and other Linux Ext3 and Ext4 disks, as well as others. Now, Windows won't do the same thing. I can freely move files and folders between all partitions through Linux, but Windows doesn't recognize and will not mount the Linux partition.

Just a note: I recently downloaded Ubuntu 11.04, which is excellent, but I very much dislike their new in-house interface called Unity. Fortunately, you can still revert it back to "Ubuntu Classic," which is basically the Gnome 2x interface from previous versions (with, ironically, some pieces of Unity still intact). You might like Unity, but many users hate it. If you want to swap, you simply need to do this:

1. Click the "Power" icon in the very top right corner of the upper taskbar.

2. Scroll down and select "Login Screen."

3. Click "Unlock" and enter your administrator password  and click "Authenticate" (Ubuntu requires you make one - I try to keep mine really simple, since no one else uses this machine),

4.  At the bottom, there is an option that says "Select [Ubuntu] as default session." Use the drop-down box to select "Ubuntu Classic." It should say "Select [Ubuntu Classic] as default session" now.

5. Click close, and log out. Now, whenever you log in (or, if you have Ubuntu set to log in automatically without selecting a username and entering a password), the older Ubuntu interface will appear.

INSERT: Or, you could listen to Vanguard and get Mandriva. I've never used Mandriva, but I hear good things about it. 

[VANGUARD]

if you want to, try a few. like I said, they're free, or go to their forums and ask some questions. I can help a little with mandriva, but not a lot.

[Alieo]

Hey, does Linux have a "screenshot" feature like Windows? I highly doubt they would forget to put that in there!

[VANGUARD]

yeah, I think it's just called screenshot. Alt+F2 to bring up the command and type in "screenshot". I think that's what it is called. my girl friend has my laptop now with Linux so I can't verify. There may be other ways to do it also.
It's nice. you just open the software, click on the screen to save it. you can obviously edit the file before saving. but you don't need to open up paint like windows has.

[TechPro]

You can also set Linux to capture the desktop on a timer as well.  It's abilities in that neighborhood is more robust than Windows, but oddly enough not that many Linux users capture their desktops often ... except those that get digging a lot deeper into the system.

[VANGUARD]

Hey, does Linux have a "screenshot" feature like Windows? I highly doubt they would forget to put that in there!

i think it's called snapshot, what I mentioned earlier, that is.

[SaladBadger]

but oddly enough not that many Linux users capture their desktops often ...

you haven't been around the gentoo community much, have you

[Crash]

What does [Print Screen] do in Linux if doesn't stick a screengrab on your clipboard?