more importantly, Fedora? Would i have any advantages of using it over windows xp?

 

For your average computer user Windows is fine.

 

http://fedora.redhat.com/

advantages? well, except that it's free, "no" viruses, pretty stable if you don't use the newest development core, it looks good.. well it does..
and a dozen other advantages, there are none...


Windows is "easier" to use because we have all used it, but if you put a complete newbie infront of a Windosmachine or a new Linuxdistro he would probably be no more confused with the Linux than with Windos.

i used to test out different linuxdistros but as i am sooo tired of 'puters i haven't tried anything newer than Mandrake 10.. and that is pretty new and gooood..

Try Mandrake out first as the Fedora project is just that... a project.. although pretty good as it's based on RedHat 9.. or something similar to 9.. 8 maybe..
http://www.mandrakelinux.com/en/

 

would my programs / docs still open in mandrake 10?

 

Programs - No
Docs - Probably

 

guess i'm staying windows then

 

To move from Windows to Linux you have to really want to do it and have specific reasons for doing so.

 

i dont, i just wanted to piss the g/f off

 

you don't have to move over permanently... make it a dualboot and play with linux..
it's pretty interesting..
and it's really easy to make a proper dualboot too.. all the newer distros have that option under install....
but, feel free to back up everything first time you install linux..

most of your docs and excelfiles would open in linux... you can make your DOS programs work in linux too... you have to use Wine or some "emulator" of that kind... if you don't know what Wine is, Google it..

 

I wasn't going to meantion WINE as it's not exactly noob friendly

 

naah... it's not that noobi friendly but what is?
it's pretty "integrated" with newer distros thou but i have no reason to run crappy WinDOSprograms under linux so i never bothered...

 

thats reason enough ...do it man what are you waiting for?