Most versions of Linux are available FREE as a "Live CD."
Go to almost any Linux version website (such as those listed on the preceding
page), download a large file called an "iso," (up to as much as 700 meg, so it
may take up to a half hour to download), burn it to a CD on your computer,
and then just restart your computer to start-up that version of Linux.
This is completely safe to do. Nothing will be installed on your computer.
It's just as safe as playing a music CD or video DVD on your computer.
Most Live CDs will run a bit slow, but you can try out several different
versions of Linux in this way to see how they work.
Some Live CDs work better than others on different types of equipment.
There are many different designs and styles to choose from. Some are "lighter"
and faster than others. Some include hundreds of free programs compressed
into their "iso" so they run slower as a "Live CD."
Four good Live CDs for first-time Linux users to try are Knoppix (the first Live CD),
Slax (only 200-meg so it is faster than some larger versions),
PCLinuxOS, and Mint Linux.
One of our "ZipLinux" objectives is to build a new Linux Live CD that will
combine the best features of some other Live CDs, and at the same time simplify
and streamline everything to make a new Live CD that will be quick and
really easy for first-time Linux users to try.