Transition from Windows to Linux

Step 1: Start using open source alternatives of proprietary software in Windows system. e.g. Firefox for browsing, Eudora or Thunderbird for email client, Gaim ( now called as Pidgin ) for any kind of chatting, Openoffice for office applications, VLC for playing any multimedia files, etc.

Step 2: If you have internet connection, install Ubuntu latest ( dual boot with Windows). If not, then start with OpenSuse. Try doing the basic things that you did in Windows system earlier.

Step 3: Once you are comfortable with using Ubuntu or any other user-friendly linux, then you can move to a more advanced linux. This step is very crucial. You should go for advanced distro only when you feel it from inside, only when you have enough confidence to read configuration files, read error logs, analyse them, and to be able to compile from source code.

Step 4: Start the project named : Linux from Scratch. Even if you don't understand all the steps, do not worry. Just walk through that path. This way you would be able to create your own custom linux distribution. You will now have enough idea of how linux works, what are major softwares, and what is missing.

Step 5: Start contributing. This can be done right from step 1. But if you are short of ideas, i am sure that after completing first 4 steps, you will be full of ideas. If you find that you idea is already being implemented in some project, then join that project instead of creating a new one.

That is all i know right now. I may edit this blog if find something more.

Why it took me so long to get started?

These are some of the reasons in decreasing order of priority.

1. Every Linux user is an active internet user. But sadly the reverse is not true. I had the power of broadband 3 months back. Then i realized that there is a world beyond Windows XP.
2. Lack of community support. When i bought my computer having XP pre-installed, i didnot know many basic things. My friends helped me out with the help of their prior experience. If ratio of linux user was.... i cant even quote a number here. Few people lived in secrecy with linux. They did not open up because most of the others would laugh at them telling that linux is such a waste of time.
3. I was not ready to learn, to search for a solution on my own

TIP: Everything is possible in linux. All the solutions are there on the internet. You just have to frame a right question.

Why i started liking open source?

I bought a computer 3 years ago having pirated Windows XP.
I had a tendency to change fonts, themes, look and feel of my operating system.
Also i loved trying out new softwares in the market. My friends used to come to me for software advice as well as advice on how to crack it (illegally registering proprietary software). At that time i didn't realize that i was committing a crime by using pirated OS and third party software.

3 months ago i realized that i was meant for open source technologies. Reasons being:
1) i wanted to have a look at source code, primarily to crack it i.e. i needed freedom
2) i wanted to modify the software according to my needs. i am basically a windows power user who does not like mouse, as you need to switch to keyboard to perform same tasks quickly
3) i wanted to customize the look and feel of my system by tweaking it to a great extent.

Now i have the freedom to do everything i wanted with the help of GNU/Linux system.