Linux on Laptop

I have an old company laptop that has Window 2000 on it.
What is the cheapest way to get a fresh OS install so I can have full
control?
Is Linux cheap to buy as OS and will it look and feel close enough to
windows that I could use it efficiently quickly?

thanks!

I have an old company laptop that has Window 2000 on it.
What is the cheapest way to get a fresh OS install so I can have full
control?

There are many Linux varieties. Some have issues with laptop hardware.

Is Linux cheap to buy as OS and will it look and feel close enough to
windows that I could use it efficiently quickly?

Well, KDE kinda behaves like Windows. It will take some learning
eaither way. Many distros are free, and the ones that you pay for are
usually because they include support.

Try starting he http://www.linuxquestions.org

And read info on some of the distros. I think Mandrake and Knoppix are
popular for newbs. Knoppix is free and Mandrake has free and pay options.

jtsnow wrote:

I have an old company laptop that has Window 2000 on it.
What is the cheapest way to get a fresh OS install so I can have full
control?
Is Linux cheap to buy as OS and will it look and feel close enough to
windows that I could use it efficiently quickly?

thanks!


Check out http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/

Laptops can be differcult to put linux on

Knoppix is a live distro which means it can run from the cd-rom, this is
very useful as you can find out what works on your PC without having to
destroy the current installed OS.

Mandrake and Suse are probably the best for a somebody new to linux,
Mandrake can be downloaded from there site, but you will need to obtain the
cd for suse from somebody.

Tim

Suse can now be downloaded for free.
Dave

jtsnow wrote:
I have an old company laptop that has Window 2000 on it.
What is the cheapest way to get a fresh OS install so I can have full
control?
Is Linux cheap to buy as OS and will it look and feel close enough to
windows that I could use it efficiently quickly?

What are your computing needs?

i jsut want something cheap to use as a backup server and run an external HD
on my LAN.


"Matt" wrote in message
...
jtsnow wrote:
I have an old company laptop that has Window 2000 on it.
What is the cheapest way to get a fresh OS install so I can have full
control?
Is Linux cheap to buy as OS and will it look and feel close enough to
windows that I could use it efficiently quickly?

What are your computing needs?

jtsnow wrote:
i jsut want something cheap to use as a backup server and run an external HD
on my LAN.



Hmmm ... an old laptop as a server ... okay ... I would try each of the
three major free distros: Fedora, Mandrake, and Suse, probably in that
order, and use the one that most easily does what you want.

Apparently the details of your hardware are secret?

"Matt" wrote in message
...

jtsnow wrote:

I have an old company laptop that has Window 2000 on it.
What is the cheapest way to get a fresh OS install so I can have full
control?
Is Linux cheap to buy as OS and will it look and feel close enough to
windows that I could use it efficiently quickly?

What are your computing needs?

jtsnow wrote:
I have an old company laptop that has Window 2000 on it.
What is the cheapest way to get a fresh OS install so I can have full
control?
Is Linux cheap to buy as OS and will it look and feel close enough to
windows that I could use it efficiently quickly?

Various releases of Linux can be downloaded free, RedHat Fedora,
Mandrake or SuSE are all pretty good and there's enough stuff to replace
most Windows apps.

Of course, Windows XP can be downloaded free from Bit Torrent as well :-)

If you have to ask such a question on a News Group, forget Linux.

jimbo