If you are thinking of switching over to a Linux operating system (and you should be), here are some things to know.

• Linux is not a single operating system. There are many different versions called distributions or “distros” that have been built by many different people and they all have their own features and styles. Think of them being called distributions because they are the groups of software packages that the developers decide to piece together and distribute as a final product.
• Two of the most popular distros for beginners are Ubuntu and Linux Mint. They are not just for beginners though. They are great distros with ample hardware support. They come preloaded with most software that you would expect to see on a computer these days such as an office suite, media players, file browser, etc. They are both very easy to install and there are how-to guides on each of their websites for every step of the way.
• Once you pick a distro that you want, you will also want to pick a desktop environment or DE. A desktop environment is how everything appears on your screen. It changes whether your desktop looks like Windows 95 or something from a sci-fi film or maybe like a Mac OS. If you are installing all of this on an older or less powerful machine, make sure to get a desktop environment that is lighter on hardware resources such as xfce or lxde. If you have a fairly modern pc and you care about the aesthetics of you desktop then go for cinnamon, gnome, or KDE.
• If you end up wanting to change your desktop environment later, you can always do so without having to completely reinstall the distro. This is nice because you can keep all of your files but still try out a few different environments to see which one you like best.