10 easy ways to try Linux without leaving Windows
I love the fact there are free open operating systems available for everyone to use or modify to suit there own needs. It’s crazy to think that there is an entire community of developers who work to fabricate features that I want. Thats what computing should be all about – enabling choice.
I like that idea a lot better than having a monopolizing operating system vendor telling me that I’m not allowed to do something with the product that I paid for. You know where I am going with this – Linux, the biggest issue I have with Linux is all the choices I have.
There are literally tons of applications available for Linux, ranging from business software that every company needs and uses to the end user needs such as web browsers, word processors, music software, video, Wi-Fi, Games and so on. There is so much out there that it is crazy. I even host this blog on Linux, it very stable and that’s why I use it.
Documentation in the Linux community is really good, all the information you need to get it running is out there. You can either Google it or fins one of the many thousands of books written with solutions for all the potential pitfalls that the Linux-switcher faces. I DO NEED TO WARN YOU THOUGH, Linux do-it-yourself fans don’t have much sympathy for people who don’t make an effort to help themselves.
I haven’t made the switch to Linux full time due to the nature of this blog, I do find myself spending more and more time with Linux and I enjoy it very much so. After all my blog is on Linux.
If you’re still using Windows for your primary OS there are tons of ways to get your feet wet without making any serious commitments. This way you can play with Linux, slowly immerse yourself and have Windows at the same time. This gives you more options in my opinion. it allows you to take your time and evaluate what it is you like and don’t like.
Here are ten ways to play with Linux painlessly, easily and you don’t have to give up Windows. If your a Linux Newbie these applications are great for you to learn what it’s all about. No doubt this is the best way to learn Linux. If there is one I missed or you have information to share, please post it in the comments!
Moba LiveCD
MobaLiveCD is a freeware light and portable application that uses QEMU to boot LiveCD and LiveUSB images right from your Windows desktop. It works as a portable application and also offers context menu integration so you can right-click to launch fresh images. It has a clear and easy to use interface and can be started from a USB drive.
Portable Ubuntu Remix
Portable Ubuntu Remix is an Ubuntu system running as a Windows application. This system is built with the Colinux Kernel, Xming X server and Pulseaudio server for Windows. Portable Ubuntu Remix is a useful tool for when you need to use Ubuntu on an machine that has Windows as the operating system. This application allows you to boot a fully-working Ubuntu environment inside Windows right from your usb flash drive. I recommend an 8GB or larger if possiable incase you get hooked and use it often. This way you have room to play with some linux based applications and so on.
Sun’s VirtualBox is a very capable visualization application, and the best part is it’s free. Currently, VirtualBox can be ran on Windows, Linux, Macintosh and OpenSolaris hosts and supports a large number of guest operating systems including but not limited to Windows (NT 4.0, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista, Windows 7), DOS/Windows 3.x, Linux (2.4 and 2.6), Solaris and OpenSolaris, and OpenBSD.
Instantly run another operating system on your desktop in a window, on almost any computer. This application allows users to implement full Linux functionality on an existing Windows Desktop or server. So head on over to VirtualBoxImages.com and grab some ready-to-use VMs.
VMWare Player and Appliances Marketplace
VMware Player is a super easy way to run multiple operating systems at the same time on your Personal Computer. It comes with a super easy to use interface that makes it easy for anyone to to try out Windows 7 or any of the latest Linux releases, or create isolated virtual machine to test and surf the Internet. VMware Player can also be used to run a virtual copy of an old PC so that you can recycle the old machines you have under your desk or stored in the closet.
VMWare’s free player is a good, free way you can experiment with loads of Linux distros. Just grab them from the Appliance Marketplace – community members are always contributing new releases.
KDE for Windows
While it’s not quite “playing with Linux,” being able to play with a bunch of KDE apps on Windows is pretty sharp. All you have to do is download the installer, select the KDE goodness you wish to install, set back with some coffee and wait, the process can take some time depending on how much you have selected for download.
USB Flash Drive Utilities
This remarkable software utility allow you to transfer ISO and IMG files to a USB flash drive. It has what they call persistent storage creation which lets you to allocate extra space on your USB stick, allowing you to save files and make modifications to your live operating system that will persist after you reboot. This essentially lets you carry your own personalized Fedora with you at all times.
UNetbootin allows you to create boot-able Live USB drives for a variety of Linux distributions from Windows or Linux, without requiring you to burn a CD. You can either let it download one of the many distributions supported out-of-the-box for you, or supply your own Linux .iso file if you’ve already downloaded one or your preferred distribution isn’t on the list. A truly incredible utility!
LiLi
LiLi makes it incredibly easy to create your own customized boot-able Linux system on a USB stick, and even run it from within Windows using an portable copy of Virtualbox that’s included on the installation. LiLi can also create persistent storage areas on your flash drive for LiveUSB environments.
Others
Boot.kernel.org
This might not be the best way to play if you’re stuck on a moderate-speed DSL connection like many people are, but it’s still a pretty good option to test the water. Grab yourself a GPXE boot image for USB, floppy, or CD, and boot your choice of Debian, Ubuntu, Damn Small, Knoppix, or Fedora – over the Internet. Now that’s really cool!
No need to burn a CD. Just launch the installer, enter a password for the new account, and click “Install”, go grab some coffee or grab a snack, and when you return, Ubuntu will be ready for you. You keep Windows as it is nothing changes, Wubi only adds an extra option to boot into Ubuntu. Wubi does not require you to modify the partitions of your PC, or to use a different boot-loader, and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application. Wubi is free of spyware and malware, and being open source, anyone can verify that. Have fun!
Now that you’ve got some handy tools, go download some distros! Distrowatch is a great way to stay on top of new releases and Linuxtracker is a great place to find torrent downloads for loads of different distros.
Video added after the break for your entertainment.
via maximunPC and Download Squad
[...] Over at How-To Geek’s, Matthew details the simple process of installing Ubuntu. No need to burn a CD. Just launch the installer, select “Ubuntu Netbook” enter a password for the new account, and click “Install”, go grab some java and when you return, Ubuntu will be ready to rock. We have discussed several methods previously about installing Linux (10 easy ways to try Linux without leaving Windows). [...]