Morpheus in the Matrix said (paraphrasing here) "I expect you are feeling a bit like alice, tumbling down the rabbit (penguin) hole. ...You take the blue pill, the story ends here, you wake tomorrow in your bed; You take the red pill and I'll show you how deep the rabbit hole goes" (http://youtube.com/watch?v=te6qG4yn-Ps for anyone who hasn't watched The Matrix)
After listening to that I guess you're feeling as confused as Neo was infront of Morpheus..however it's probably the very same feeling that most people feel when they start touting with the idea of trying out Linux..Just like the Matrix for Neo, Linux is all around us, much more than most people think it is. Linux runs on mobile phones, appliances, PDAs; The same server that served you this page runs on Linux. So it's only natural for you to be curious about running Linux on your computer.
Strictly speaking, I am making a mistake when I use the term Linux. In 1991, Linus Torvalds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linus_Torvalds) created the first version of the Linux kernel and made the great decision of making it available to the online programing community for anyone to use or aid in its development. At the same point in time, the GNU community were also working on the HURD operating system, and had already created most of the GNU utilities, such as gcc. However, the kernel wasn't finished yet, and thus GNU adopted Linux as their Operating System. Thus, one should refer to any Linux Distribution that uses the Linux kernel and the GNU utilities should refer to the system as a GNU/Linux system. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU/Linux_naming_controversy). Enough History though, let's get down and dirty with Linux now.
No one can teach you Linux, you just have to get down to it and try it. Fortunately most distributions (a distribution is the Linux Kernel and all the other types of software that make up a complete operating system) make it very easy for anyone that wants to try Linux with the creation of Live-CDs. A live CD is a complete Linux system that loads and operates from the CD-Rom. Such a system does not tamper with the hardware or the installations of any other operating systems present and thus presents the perfect starting point for a user to try out Linux. A Live-CD serves a second major purpose. For those people that are afraid that their hardware will prove incompatible with Linux, a live-CD is a perfect opportunity to try out Linux and check for any hardware incompatibilities. Most Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Fedora, Mepis, Suse all provide live-CDs most of which allow installing of the system directly from GUI. Many people will complain that Linux is hard to install, that it's complicated and that most people don't know how to install it, yet here I am telling you that Linux is easier to install than all other operating system. I will be taking Ubuntu as an example here. When you first boot into Ubuntu, you will be welcomed with a fully operational desktop that will allow you to try out the system before installing. Once you're happy with it all you have to do is simple double click on the Install icon on the desktop were you will be greeted by a wizard. This wizard will ask you for your name and desired username, will ask were you want to install it and in which country you live. It will ask you to choose a language from a list and also what type of keyboard you have; And you're done. Now I'm sure most people will be screaming at me, "Ye, and what about partitioning ? you don't have to partition anything in windows!". I can't do anything apart from agree there. You _don't_ have to partition in windows because you wouldn't be installing windows alongside another system. Same principle applies to Linux. However for the benefit of those installing a dual-boot system, I will outline some basic rules and guidelines for partitioning. Partitioning is the process of splitting your hard disk into different parts on which different systems can be in installed. Normally, on a computer installed with windows only, the whole hard disk would be dedicated to one partition. In such a case we would need to reduce the size of the windows partition in order to create some free space for Linux. Most (If not all) Linux installers come with options to reduce the size of your windows partitions. This is normally a safe process, however risks do exist and one should take a backup of ALL data before commencing such a process.
Once your system is installed you should spend some time getting at grips with your desktop. There are 2 main desktop systems you may encounter; Gnome and KDE are 2 desktop managers that will provide you with the interface to be able to use your computer efficiently. There isn't a good or bad decision when it comes to desktop managers, most distros either gives a choice during install regarding which desktop manager should be installed or allow a second (or more) desktop manager to be installed later once the system is up and running. Both desktop managers have their characteristic features and it is beyond the scope of this article to go in depth about this however some pointers are always helpful.
Gnome:
1. Has 2 main panels (bars) one at the top that normally holds your menus and applets and one at the bottom that holds any open windows.
2. Comes witha host of applets to add functionality to each panel.
3. Groups programs in menus by function and purpose
KDE:
1. Is more conservatice in design and can be likened more to windows than Gnome.
2. Has normally 1 panel (called the kicker) which is used both for starting programs and to hold applets and windows currently open. (Of course more panels can be created)
3. May appear overwhelming and overly complex to most, especially in the beginning.
The choice is ultimately yours and even if you choose to start with one but would like to try another, it is not a problem to switch, remember that choice is what makes Linux what it is..