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Linux on my Dell
"1) Knowledgable Linux technician to install the OS"
I would assume then that you wouldn't know how to install Windows either, because the installations are almost identical. You simply put in the disk, and click "next" a lot.

"2) Help converting (if possible) my Word, Excel and Powerpoint to OpenOffice format."
Open Office opens MS Office files, and can save all your files as MS Offices ones (this can be made the default too). Open Office believes in something called "compatibility".

"3) Help finding and installing peripheral software that is installed with Windows."
You didn't list anything specific. But considering a normal Linux distro comes with 2-4 CDs of applications (besides the 1 OS CD), it shouldn't be a problem. They normall come with various Zip utils, Media Players, browsers, mail and newsreader clients, Chat/ICQ/IRC clients, digital camera utils, etc., etc.

"6) Help with any future upgrades to all of the above"
Click on the 'Update' button. It gets all the software in the distro for you, not JUST the OS. (ex: Windows update does not update WinZip for me.)


If you need help with all of these things; I would suggest getting a parent, neighbor, or friend to take care of all your home computing needs for you.
If not, you can pick up a lot of "Dummies" books (Windows, the Internet, Office software, etc.)
Posted by: SC-man   Posted on: 12/20/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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Too Cool  voska | 12/20/04
Now Microsoft is TOAST!  Jeff Spicoli | 12/20/04
Interesting...  rapson | 12/20/04
Hey..  Jeff Spicoli | 12/20/04
Re: Hey..  PottHead | 12/20/04
I'm with you there Carl...  Laff | 12/22/04
Hmmm.  vdraken | 12/20/04
Haha. Yeah right.  Linux_Developer | 12/20/04
Yawn ...  George Jay | 12/20/04
If anyone has the ability affect change in consumer  bjbrock | 12/20/04
It's not Wal-Mart  rpmyers1 | 12/20/04
Re: If anyone has the ability affect change in consumer  richdave | 12/29/04
Interesting..  d_jedi | 12/20/04
Power  SC-man | 12/20/04
Big Deal, Microsoft is not toast  Delmont | 12/20/04
Do they sell Laptops?  voska | 12/20/04
Yes, the sell refurb laptops too  Delmont | 12/20/04
Thanx for the Info  voska | 12/20/04
Don't overlook eBay  IT_User | 12/20/04
Dell Refurb VS New Balance  jimhood82 | 10/15/05
At this price is it worth it to pay another $200 or $300 for Windows?  George Mitchell | 12/20/04
If you're an S&M stool pusher!  Jeff Spicoli | 12/20/04
Re: At this price is it worth it to pay another $200 or $300 for Windows?  PottHead | 12/20/04
It works for me ...  George Mitchell | 12/20/04
Well now  jsjag1 | 12/20/04
Linux on my Dell  SC-man | 12/20/04
Me neither  Michael Kelly | 12/20/04
Huh? Nice Pott Fudhead  Squawkbox | 12/20/04
Seems PottHeads been smoking the real good stuff?  Laff | 12/22/04
Linux upgrades suck  NotMSUser | 12/21/04
If I were to go with this system...  mbraincell@... | 12/20/04
Life has its costs ...  George Mitchell | 12/20/04
useful work  SC-man | 12/20/04
I'll save you a bundle  seosamh_z | 12/20/04
Excellent point...  AmusedAtItAll | 12/20/04
If you want to buy a Windows box...  John L. Ries | 12/20/04
Great Deal... To bad you dont see them in the stores  LazLong | 12/20/04
Give me a break...  Christopher McLendon | 12/20/04
At $300 less and especially because it comes without MS.  LazLong | 12/20/04
more software with Linux  mbraincell@... | 12/20/04
Ever hear of...  Kamikaze_Ohka | 12/20/04
The free ones won't cut it for home users  IT Scion | 12/20/04
phone call?  SC-man | 12/20/04
Yes their are thousands.... & all you have do is look.  LazLong | 12/20/04
And if you just have to windows software  Squawkbox | 12/20/04
Wrong forum to ask that question.  AmusedAtItAll | 12/20/04
Unfortunately we're talking about Wal-Mart here  IT Scion | 12/20/04
In away I sort of agree with you, but consider 2 things.  LazLong | 12/20/04
whooops...And...  LazLong | 12/20/04
It makes the public aware  amicus_curious | 12/20/04
...of a Inexpensive alternative.....  LazLong | 12/20/04
Let's see here...  amicus_curious | 12/20/04
I would agree with you that the hw specs are better on that model  LazLong | 12/20/04
Afraid?  amicus_curious | 12/21/04
Walmart has had....  IT Scion | 12/20/04
Agreed...  LazLong | 12/20/04
also  IT Scion | 12/20/04
it dose not list them but I believe these are rebranded ECS's  LazLong | 12/20/04
I found that too  IT Scion | 12/20/04
On the other hand...  Kamikaze_Ohka | 12/20/04
And back at you  seosamh_z | 12/20/04
Is this a Soviet plot?  amicus_curious | 12/20/04
Depends what you want it for  voska | 12/21/04
If I were to go with this system...  mbraincell@... | 12/20/04
I am not that sure  man_at_work | 12/20/04
Who provides tech support? Wal-Mart?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/20/04
Probably  IT Scion | 12/20/04
So who, pray tell, offers tech support for Windows  George Mitchell | 12/20/04
Just not true  IT Scion | 12/20/04
Sounds like BS to me.  AmusedAtItAll | 12/20/04
Actually  IT Scion | 12/21/04
almost forgot  IT Scion | 12/20/04
Stop listening to others...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/20/04
...and make up your own mind  John L. Ries | 12/20/04
No_Ax Has No Personal Experience  itanalyst | 12/21/04
Not really..  Patrick Jones | 12/21/04
If You Spent As Much Time Actually Looking Into Something  itanalyst | 12/21/04
Who cares  jsjag1 | 12/20/04
That does happen to cars, well at least some cars  voska | 12/20/04
Hugo  jsjag1 | 12/20/04
Look for stuff that's more than 2 decades old  voska | 12/22/04
oh another point  voska | 12/22/04
Not to Nick Pits..... But this month it would be 9 years  LazLong | 12/22/04
Hence the reason I said months  voska | 12/22/04
Aftermarket  IT Scion | 12/20/04
Is it not obvious...Linspire ...& Walmat to an extent  LazLong | 12/20/04
I'd think the same person they always call  voska | 12/21/04
What to do with that other $300.00  LinuxHippie | 12/20/04
Outsource?  Michael Kelly | 12/20/04
Who provides tech support? Wal-Mart?  AmusedAtItAll | 12/20/04
who provide support for ms laptops at walmart  JasonL31 | 12/21/04
Yeah, kinda: It's the little bouncing smiley face.  James T. Kirk | 12/21/04
Isn't Linux dead  jsjag1 | 12/20/04
I'll have to say...  John L. Ries | 12/20/04
Was it a Notebook?  LazLong | 12/20/04
Nope...  John L. Ries | 12/20/04
As much as I love the idea of a cheap Linux laptop...  Michael Kelly | 12/20/04
True, I would rather pay $200 more and get a bigger screen . . .  DonnieBoy | 12/20/04
Seems like a good deal  Spoon Jabber | 12/21/04
Entry level folks  Squawkbox | 12/20/04
Let's Look At The Cost If It Were A Windows Laptop  itanalyst | 12/20/04
Re: Let's Look At The Cost If It Were A Windows Laptop  PottHead | 12/21/04
Good Point, But....  itanalyst | 12/21/04
Re: Good Point, But....  PottHead | 12/21/04
I Totally Agree With You  itanalyst | 12/21/04
Not 75 bucks  IT Scion | 12/21/04
A Better Laptop Hardware Wise, BUT  itanalyst | 12/21/04
Vily, your dream come true  mlindl | 12/20/04
Why Don't All You Microsuck Lovers Shut Up And Try It First  itanalyst | 12/21/04
Yeah, that'll convince them  rapson | 12/21/04
Very well said...and  IT Scion | 12/21/04
I assume...  rapson | 12/21/04
hehehe..you are correct (nt)  IT Scion | 12/21/04
MS-Works and Open Office are not comparable  voska | 12/21/04
wow, looks nice  JasonL31 | 12/21/04
They are selling  IT Scion | 12/21/04
Hey too many people even here in the United State  Laff | 12/22/04
Can I Format and Install Windows 2000/XP on it?  kchahal | 12/21/04
For fifty bucks more  IT Scion | 12/21/04
What a really silly question... trolling huh  LazLong | 12/21/04
Linux saves money? Not in this case.  hickum | 12/21/04
What a piece of junk  DonPMitchell@... | 12/22/04
Perhaps this it true for you...but that does not mean  Laff | 12/22/04
WM v MS Windows v Linspire No you miss the point  Hillbilly_z | 12/22/04
Not such as great deal.  bugmenotznet | 12/22/04

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