After reading some of the horror stories abt Windows 8, I don't know if I'd want to run it or not. I've never tried any of the *buntu's, none would boot on my laptop. That said when the ancient Celeron 600 turned off in the middle of service pack 3, I went to the storage unit and of the all the windows software I have, could only find 98 OEM (bootable) no key and ME with the key. So I pulled the 10 gig with all my genealogy and email program (thunderbird portable) and put a 2 gig in and installed ME. After messing with ME, decided to go with Linux, tried Damn Small Linux, and Puppy, both ran ok but had problems connecting wi-fi. So I was looking at the other program that allows you to run win in Linux (name escapes me right now) and noticed that the only distro that they didn't support was PCLinuxOS. So I did some homework, found that its a rolling release, which means that every 6 months there's a new *buntu out, and if you keep running the older version and updating, sooner or later an update will bork your install. Which means that you need to re-install to be current anyway. So I downloaded LXDE as a GUI, which I had been looking at since I was running 128 meg ram on a Celeron, and was very happy with it on the lappy. I have a Centrino 1800 (latitude d610) with XFCE (Phinx right now, going to switch to Phoenix, the full blown version). I'd really like to look at KDE, but I've taken the position of a lighter GUI is easier when running an intensive application, the GUI is not in it's way and does not add overhead your processor/memory can't handle. I also like the fact I can make a live cd of my entire install and re-install on another computer if need be. My last install on the 10 gig was in 2010, and if the drive was better (abt to go out) I could still update and it would be current... I also liked that PCLinuxOS picked up all my hardware, wired and wireless. My opinion, and opinions are like noses, everybody has one! jan > Many have commented on loss of Windows XP, others on use of Linux. > FYI a search on Google reveals Windows 8 could be released as early as > May 2012, although Microsoft hopes to have it for sure by October. > There are many links to be found by searching for Windows 8 release > date, and some have teasers of what could be > included, such as Internet Explorer 9 or 10, touch screen, an AP store, > the ability to run Windows 8 from a USB (called Live USB) > Personally I prefer a Linux distribution, Ubuntu. It is as Jan said, > free. It is frequently updated and if you really want to > use a Windows program, the Linux program "WINE" (wine is not an > emulator) is a free download and will let you run many Windows programs > inside the Ubuntu and other distributions. For what its worth, I hold > classes for my elder associates and with Wine I don't have to restart > my computer to switch from whichever Windows program we are studying to > its Linux/Ubuntu equivalent. > I also use GRAMPS, a Linux genealogy program and have for over 6 years. > The Ubuntu distribution is, I have read, the Linux distribution that is > closest to Windows. > Of interest also is that the Ubuntu distribution and some other Linux > distros can be run entirely from a CD or USB flash drive without making > changes to any other operating system on the computer. > Yes, the Linux operating system may take some "getting use to" but for > those on limited income (like me) and the adventurous, it is > well worth the time to learn. > I am in no way associated with any Linux development team or company, > nor have I any interest other than helping others to enjoy something > other than > Windows. > Jim Alexander > > ===== > If you would prefer digest mode to mail mode, drop a note toroots-admin@rootsweb.com and ask for the digest... > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email toROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > -- jan www.bullocks.org