Migration tool from Windows to Linux (linspire Distribution)

[Jon maddog Hall]

David,

There is no reason why this tool would not "port" most of your documents, email,
etc. from Windows to Linux.   This would certainly be true if you were in
a stand-alone environment and were not sharing your directories with other
people who continued to use windows.

I think the real "work" would start after the software had finished its job,
that work of learning (for each distribution) where the controls are that
would change whatever settings you now wanted to change, what settings are
available to change, etc.

In a lot of ways I would recommend NOT using such a tool, but instead doing
the work yourself.  That way you would have a much better idea after you were
finished in how the Linux system works, what tools and settings there are
to make it work, etc.

I would recommend a thre-step approach to going to Linux:

	o Use open source applications on Windows right now:
		o OpenOffice
		o Firefox
		o Thurderbird
		o Gimp (If you currently use Firefox)

This will get you used to a lot of the "bells and whistles" that are there,
and pull your email, etc. under the format of these programs.

Secondly:

	o Select a Linux distribution and get used to it:

While a lot of the people on this list (including me) use and recommended
SuSE, for a person who are:

>Linux wannabes want to know (especially the lazier ones, allergic to system
>trivia like yours truly).

probably would be better off with one of the distributions that cater to that
particular audience:

		o Xandros
		o Linspire
		o Mandriva
		o Ubuntu

The order of the above is not an endorsement of any of them, although I know
that Xandros and Linspire have both worked very hard at being "newbie friendly".
Mandriva has been a long-time desktop oriented distro, and I have heard good
things about Ubuntu and its "user friendliness".

You may also find a book at the library or bookstore on Linux, with a
distribution in the back.  This book will walk you through all of the
tailoring you need.  There are even books specifically written for the newbie
coming from windows.  They talk to you in "Microsoft Speak", so you know
what they are saying.

After you have installed, configured and played around with one of these
distributions until you are happy with it, THEN you can consider using a
package to move your windows data files and configuration stuff over.  And I
hope that you know what the word "backup" means. :-)

I would suggest a dual-boot situation with your Linux system sharing your
Windows file system for a while.  If your disk is not big enough to hold both
systems, then get another (or bigger) disk.  I have seen 300GB disks on sale
for $100.

This is not to scare you away from Linux.  Most of the "newbie" distributions 
these days are "boot and go", particularly if you have a system that has no data on
it and is fed its TCP/IP address by a DHCP server, or by an DSL or Cable
connection.  But take it from the author of the original "Linux for Dummies"
book, you WILL have to learn something. :-)

You learned windows....you can learn Linux.

Warmest regards,

maddog
-- 
Jon "maddog" Hall
Executive Director           Linux International(R)
email: maddog at li.org         80 Amherst St. 
Voice: +1.603.672.4557       Amherst, N.H. 03031-3032 U.S.A.
WWW: http://www.li.org

Board Member: Uniforum Association, USENIX Association

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