this post was submitted on 29 Mar 2026
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Linux
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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I also recommend downloading a linux image file, putting it on a USB stick and booting your computer from it. This lets you try out linux without making any changes to your computer. The other nice thing about a live USB stick is that it lets you make sure that linux detects all your computer's hardware. If you don't have any problems during the live session, you won't have any problems when you install it for real.
Another vote for Linux Mint. You can always try different linux distros later on.