I could not agree more with Matthew Newton’s recommendation of learning Linux with either Xandros or Fedora. In practice, Xandros is the best choice because it allows the user to get a feel for the world of Linux without ‘dumbing it down’ too much like Linspire is famous for doing.

Every month when my column posts, I get a bevy of e-mail. And every month, there is a contingent of readers who have one question for me: How do I get started with Linux?

It’s a simple question, and I wish there were one simple answer for the folks who’ve decided they’ve had enough with Microsoft Windows, and that it’s time to make a switch. I’ve been trying to answer this question in various ways for years now. Back in 1999, I contributed to one attempt at an answer, and the result was a lengthy, sometimes confusing set of instructions that really don’t apply anymore, for a simple reason: You don’t need to be a geek to install Linux these days.

So this month, I’m taking another shot at the topic. Here, dear readers, is my advice for you if you’re done with the spyware and the adware that keeps creeping in from new directions. Here’s the plan if you want to leave your virus scanner behind and grab most (perhaps all) of the software you’ll ever need off the Internet. This is the road to a new relationship with your computer, brought about by software that is built by a community, not a monopoly. It is a road less traveled, and it makes all the difference.