I believe that Microsoft has gained a strong hold in our minds based upon many myths and fears. These myths are fears will haunt us for ages until we openly accept and adopt the freedom of Open Source, even with some of its apparent shortcomings. Following are a few myths and facts which play a role in whether a home user shifts from Windows to GNU/Linux.

Today, I read about a new netbook (running Linux, of course) that stores its operating system on a USB key, presumably so that you can take it out and bring your file and settings to any computer. The first time I skimmed the article, I misread it and didn't see that it ran Linux. Later, I realized that it must run Linux, since you just couldn't do that with Windows.

Microsoft Windows remains the dominant desktop operating system with approximately 90% of the client operating system market. If Microsoft's monopoly is ever going to be challenged by Linux, there has to be an easy way for Windows' users to be able to learn about this rival operating system.

The New York Times reported today that Apple has opened its first Apple Store in Paris, underneath the Louvre no less, and just two weeks after Microsoft opened up a Windows 7 cafe in Paris in another location.

There's no doubt that Linux—particularly Ubuntu—is a killer operating system full of excellent apps, but for about a million reasons, you're stuck running Windows as your main operating system. We understand, these things happen. But what about all those killer Linux apps you've left behind when you decided to live the Windows life?

A Windows user who wants to evaluate Linux, or any other alternative operating system, on their current system has a large number of options. In this article, we will look at those options for the busy Windows user who is evaluating Linux, wants to use open source applications, but doesn't want to lose access to their Windows system.

For about four months now, I have been using the Ubuntu Linux operating system full-time on both my desktop and notebook computer. A few weeks into this experience, I wrote an article sharing some of my findings about the Windows to Linux migration process.

t's funny how some people are so stuck on the idea that Windows, and only Windows, is the one true operating system that they can't even hear their own words. That's the case with a recent news story with the headline, "Windows XP Will Fill Two-Thirds of Asustek Eee PCs." (This article will only be online until April 13.) OK, I know almost none of you are journalists, but what's wrong with that headline? That's right. You didn't need to do paste-up classified ads for your high school newspaper to figure out that the news here is that Linux will be running on a third of Asustek's Eee PCs.

Last week I put Windows Vista Ultimate and Fedora Linux 9 to a test. The article hit the front page of Digg but received a lot of criticism by those disappointed with the performance of Internet Explorer. So, let's dig deeper and use Firefox to see if Internet Explorer's memory footprint is actually a Windows Vista "feature" or not.