From LQWiki

Contents 1 Mindset 2 Applications 3 Sweet spots 4 Distribution 5 How to migrate 6 Various Tasks 6.1 Set File Associations 6.1.1 Windows 6.1.2 Linux 6.1.2.1 KDE 6.2 Clear Browser History 6.2.1 Windows IE 6.2.2 Linux 6.2.2.1 FireFox 6.2.2.2 Konqueror 6.3 Kill a crashed App 6.3.1 In Windows 6.3.2 In Linux 7 See also

Mindset

It is often observed that people with a Windows background try to find device drivers in the internet. Don't do that! With Linux, drivers are in your kernel and you will not need to download them. Also, the best way to install software is to do as described at installing software, downloading and installing will usually be too hard for a beginner.

Applications

If you know a Windows application that does what you want, but do not know the equivalent Linux application, look at Linux software equivalent to Windows software. You can also natively run Windows software under Linux using wine.

Sweet spots

What you will love about Linux:

• you can create your own pdfs without additional software - just chose in your printer dialog to print to a pdf file
• you can play your old Dos games from inside Linux using DosBox
• you can record a video from what you are doing on your desktop using xvidcap
• for more tips, see tips

Distribution

If you have not yet fallen in love with a distribution, take a look at Comparison of Linux distributions to find out which one will best fit you.

How to migrate

If you want to keep your Windows while learning Linux, you have the following options:

• Boot from a Live CD while testing out a GNU/Linux distro. After satified all (or most) of your hardware works, then consider installing to your hard drive.
• booting from USB
• dual booting - keep Windows as well as Linux on your hard disk. Decide when booting which OS you want to use.
• using e.g. vmware to have a virtual machine on your Windows running Linux

Various Tasks

Set File Associations

Windows

Explorer | Tools | Folder Options | File Types

Linux

There are no system-wide file associations. The different desktop environment each (may) have their own file association mechanisms.

KDE

Configuration | KDE | Components | File Associations

Clear Browser History

Windows IE

Internet Explorer | Tools | Internet Options | General Tab | Clear History

Linux

Linux does not have a default default browser, you can just set your personal default browser.

FireFox

You can clear Firefox's cache in the options dialog, or even install a plugin to give you a button somewhere that does it.

Konqueror

The history of the Konqueror browser is stored in ~/.kde/share/apps/konqueror/konq_history To Clear Go Konqueror | Setting Configure Conqueror | History Sidebar (9th item down on left side panel) | Clear History

Kill a crashed App

In Windows

Ctrl-Alt-Delete

In Linux

Misbehaving programs can be terminated with the kill and killall commands. Also helpful is the ps command which lists running processes.

In some desktops (like Gnome and KDE) you can do the following:

Ctrl-Esc bring up a task list, and allows the user to select and kill a process.

Ctrl=Alt-Esc invokes XKill, which changes the cursor to Skull & Crossbones - and allows the user to kill a program by positioning the cursor over the crashed program and clicking to kill it.

See also

• LINUXINTRO
• INTEROPERABILITY