linux V windows

plus it is kind of universal. All the derivatives typically work the same.

ok thats over my head guys

Sometimes versions of Linux, called 'distros', actually break off into different distros, like Debian has become Debian, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Edubuntu, Xubuntu, Gobuntu, Mythbuntu, UbuntuStudio, SimplyMepis, Linspire, Freespire and just about a thousand others.

Red Hat-like distros tend not to be similar, and really aren't if you just look at the default way to install apps:

Mandriva: (I dunna, some frontend to Urpmi)
Fedora: YUM
OpenSUSE: Yast2
Red Hat: RPM


And the debian distros?
Debian: Apt
Ubuntu and its derivitives: Apt
Linspire/Freespire: Apt
SimplyMepis: Apt

See why Debian calls itself 'the universal operating system'?

sir i dont understand im an idiot

Linux isn't an entire operating system. Linux is just a kernel. The kernel manages drivers, memory, other system resources, multitasking, etc.

To get a usable operating system, you have to put together an entire distribution, or distro. The distro includes the kernel with various other software - drivers, programs, documentation, a desktop environment, a software management system, etc. The core Linux system, which includes the kernel and a variety of basic open source programs from GNU like ls (kinda like dir on DOS), vi (a text editor), gcc (a C compiler), etc, is often referred to as GNU/Linux to make it clear that the operating system consists of more than just the Linux kernel.

There are a few "main" distros upon which most others are based. They are Debian, Fedora/Red Hat, Gentoo, and Slackware. One of the more fundamental differences between them is their package management systems (the way packages and programs are installed/managed/removed, like the Windows Add/Remove programs box but with way more features). Debian uses APT, Fedora uses RPM, Gentoo uses Portage, and Slackware uses.. well, nothing really.

Ubuntu is based on Debian, Mandriva is based on Fedora, etc. There's nothing "universal" about Debian other than its name

oh i think i got it now

One thing.
Until you know what you are doing, "don't sudo rm -f" anything.
...especially not /tmp and /var/tmp

Also, don't attempt to compile your own kernel, and don't try upgrade-manager -d until the next version is actually out.

i wont because i really dont care about doing that i just want one that runs i dont want to do anything else with it

linux is stable,efficient,awesome,and easily upgradable

windows is software city of all oses,built for pretty new computers(so it is slow on old hardware,and its unstable.

For me linux wins in everything but software,that is why I still dual-boot with xp.