Our base installation cost is $175. The price includes a second hard drive on which we install Linux. We do not touch your Windows installation. After installing the new hard drive you will be able to boot into Linux or Windows. The price includes two hours of technical support.

A lot! People pay for Windows and OS X, which does not come packaged with additional software. With Windows and Macs users receive only the basic operating system. Additional software costs more money. With free/libre software, users obtain a full range of software pre-installed. There is a wonderful spirit of cooperation and community with free/libre software. People want to help each other. The nice thing is users can sleep well at night knowing that none of the software is stolen or unlicensed.

Short answer, yes. We will do that only for those users who have no choice, such as laptop users. The price remains the same because of the additional time required to prepare an existing drive for installation.

We prefer to sit together at our demo computer where you can see how the system functions and ask questions. Usually that requires about a half-hour. If you are interested then we next sit with you at your computer and perform a system assessment and ask you questions. The assessment allows us to be sure we know what special needs you might have and what peripherals you are using. We research further if you have special needs. Our goal is to minimize the time you are without your computer and we do not proceed further until we both know what will happen and what is needed. After that we then need your computer to install the new system and migrate your Windows data to the Linux system. We do our best to migrate web browser settings, email, desktop shortcuts, and other data, along with ensuring both systems boot without problems.

When we return your system we sit with you to ensure you are comfortable with the new system and verify peripherals function normally as expected.

The classic answer is that depends. For modern computer usage, which nowadays includes video and audio streaming, a realistic lower limit for hardware is a 1 GHz CPU and 1 GB of RAM. Older and slower hardware can still be used, but not without a realistic attitude.

Remember that Pentium I systems were introduced in 1993 to 1995. Pentium II systems in 1997 and 1998. Pentium III systems in 1999. In terms of computer history and in which the manner that hardware and software continually improves and evolves, that was a long time ago. Some pragmatism is needed to keep running older hardware, regardless of the operating system. Certain modern software requirements exceed the hardware abilities of older hardware. Most people will have few problems with Pentium IV or newer. The Pentium I, II, and III systems will show their age with any modern operating system.

For people with somewhat newer hardware, a lot of modern software designed for Linux based systems runs fine on such hardware. With somewhat old but not real old hardware you’ll be able to surf the web, fetch email, write old-fashioned letters, print, and play some games. Don’t expect to stream videos and audio through the internet, run a webcam without issues, or perform other hardware-intensive tasks performed these days without modern hardware. Such older hardware lacks the muscle with any operating system, even with a broadband connection. That kind of software technology did not exist when these computers were manufactured.

That said, Linux based systems tend to be more forgiving of older hardware, thereby extending the life of a computer. With smart choices in the desktop environment and software applications, Linux systems will run fine on most older hardware.

One advantage of running a modern Linux based system is being fully updated to avoid being concerned with security and malware issues. Windows 95 and 98 still run well on old hardware but no longer are maintained and supported. Windows XP is now no longer supported as well. These older operating systems no longer are patched or updated to fight various modern security issues.

You will be fine if you use older hardware to perform the same basic tasks that were popular in the 1990s. You can keep a Model T polished and running in pristine shape, but don’t expect to cruise the highways at 70 mph. Old computers are somewhat like old cars. If you expect to perform tasks that are intended to be run on modern hardware, then be prepared to buy newer hardware.

Yes. Lots of people do that.

That depends. For most users the answer is no.

The good news is the software is free in cost, free to use, and free to study and modify. This philosophy has nurtured high quality software with a strong community oriented approach. The bad news is installing a Linux operating system requires some computer savvy. Yet most Windows users never installed Windows and instead bought their computers with Windows preinstalled. The good news is we install Linux for you, which is then much the same as buying a computer with Linux preinstalled.

Running Linux has some challenges just like Windows. The bad news is Linux will not run Windows software, at least not directly. The good news is there are high quality alternate software choices. Depending upon the type of software, user data from Windows software can me imported to the alternate software. The bad news is time and patience are needed to learn the new software. The good news is generally the Linux based software functions similarly to keep the learning curve from growing steep.

The tough news is business users tend to be locked into Windows. For example, large enterprise users usually are locked into servers supporting Active Directory and Exchange. People using vertical or custom made software fall into this category, such as point-of-sales, medical software, Autocad, Visio, high level accounting software, or extensive use of Microsoft Office. A percentage of home users can fall into lock-in as well. Advanced usage of Quicken or niche software such as Hallmark Greeting Cards are examples. Although Linux has many games and supports the Steam gaming platform, certain types of games tend to discourage Windows users from migrating.

The good news is there are ways to run Windows vertical or niche software in a Linux based system. The bad news is those options might require hardware muscle.

The good news with running Linux is almost complete immunity from malware. The bad news is with time that problem likely will grow as Linux continues to grow in popularity. The good news is the fundamental designs of a Linux system will limit the potential damage.

Now that some pros and cons are revealed, the question remains at to whether Linux is a good choice for many users. The simple answer is yes.

The most challenging aspect of migrating is something called the Baby Duck Syndrome. You probably have heard the story that when a duck (or goose) is born the chick imprints on the first thing it sees and bonds with that object. Humans are similar in that they form imprints or bond with the first products they use. That explains why people advocate certain products, such as Chevy versus Ford. Computers are no different. Many people have been imprinted with Windows because that is all they have ever used. The real challenge then to migrating exists between the ears.

That depends upon what you use in Windows. If you already use Firefox, Chrome, or Chromium as a web browser then you will use the same web browser in Linux. If you exchange email through your web browser, such as with Google or Yahoo Mail, then you have nothing more to learn. If you use Outlook or Outlook Express, you will learn Thunderbird as your new email client. Thunderbird is available in Windows and you can start learning that app any time while you still use Windows. Thunderbird supports importing your Outlook addresses and emails.

MS Office is replaced by LibreOffice. LibreOffice also is available in Windows and you can start learning that app any time while you still use Windows. LibreOffice works much the same as MS Office before the ribbon interface was introduced. LibreOffice imports and exports most MS Office documents without any problems.

If you tinker occasionally with Photoshop, the GIMP is a high quality replacement for non professionals. GIMP is a horrible name but is actually an acronym for GNU Image Manipulation Program. The GIMP also is available in Windows and you can start learning that app any time while you still use Windows.

If you use Windows Messenger for instant messaging, take a look at Pidgin. Pidgin is available for both Windows and Linux.

Maybe. Not all Windows programs will run on Linux based systems, and some that run do not run well. The simple reason is the underlying operating systems are different. For those people with special vertical program needs, there are several possible solutions. These options include:

• Dual-booting.
• Running a special compatibility interface software tool called WINE.
• For those with modern hardware and sufficient RAM, running Windows in a virtual machine.
• Running those special Windows programs in a separate machine.

The compatibility layer called WINE allows many Windows programs to run, but the easier solution is to use a native Linux program. Just like Macs, there are equivalent options available in all areas of software. The names are different but the purpose and function are the same.

Virtual machine technology is fascinating. Basically a user runs an operating system inside another operating system. This option requires a dual core microprocessor and at least 4GB of RAM.

Running special Windows programs in a separate computer is another option. The Windows and Linux systems can be networked to share data.

The best answer is that there is no simple one answer. Each person’s need for special Windows programs must be addressed and analyzed separately. The good news is that many people do not need to run any special Windows software.

Some software is available in Windows versions too. Users can learn and become familiar with such software in Windows before changing their computers to a Linux based system. Examples include the following:

• Firefox, Chromium and Chrome web browsers
• Thunderbird email client
• LibreOffice Office suite
• GIMP, an excellent Photoshop replacement for non professionals
• Pidgin Instant Messenger

If you would like to view a comprehensive list of equivalent software, please visit:

There are a handful of mission critical apps that should not be circumvented haphazardly. Some people using these apps can migrate to Linux based apps. This is not a black-and-white list. Some examples:

• MS Office when heavily using templates, styles, and macros
• Quicken
• QuickBooks
• Visio
• Photoshop
• AutoCAD
• Custom or vertical market software

Yes, mixing and matching both types of machines is common.

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