Want to test Linux before committing?

Introduction for Windows users

If you are a Windows user and want to test drive Linux before committing to installing it, start with Cygwin, as it's the least invasive/destructive way to get used to Linux. After that, maybe try install Linux Subsystem for Windows (LSW) from the Windows 10 app store. A lot of users will think that installing LSW is the way to go. I disagree. When you have a Linux system, you always end up having to use the command line, and hence, it is best to become proficient at that before you install. Installing LSW will by default put you on a graphical installation of Linux and hence you might get the impression (incorrectly so), that it is a graphical system. It is not.

Introduction for people with Macs and how to use Brew

If you are a Mac user, you have more or less no need to try Linux, as it will give you a less useful experience than your current experience. Rather learn to use the command line on your machine and its capabilities. On Mac, you have a terminal program in the Utilities folder inside your Applications folder. Open that and start typing! That terminal will obey most of the same commands as Linux. To get a more complete experience, install the package called Brew. It is a package manager, similar to apt or yum on Linux. Once Brew is installed, you can just install other Linux apps using "brew install app" where "app" is the name of whatever you want to install.

Cygwin for Windows

Cygwin is a Linux command line emulator for Windows.

https://cygwin.com/install.html

Once it is installed, you will need to manually install other packages to let you build the software. Take the warning seriously: do not install everything, you will download hundreds of gigs of software you do not need. Rather install the specific dependencies.

Once cygwin is installed, it will not, by default, set your home directory (home folder) to c:\users\yourname

However, generally you DO want to do that, so you can use linux commands on your own files.

To set that, follow the steps here:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1494658/how-can-i-change-my-cygwin-home-folder-after-installation

Starting with Cygwin 1.7.34, the recommended way to do this is to add a custom db_home setting to /etc/nsswitch.conf. A common wish when doing this is to make your Cygwin home directory equal to your Windows user profile directory. This setting will do that:

db_home: windows

Or, equivalently:

db_home: /%H

Simply type

vi /etc/nsswitch.conf

cursor up/down till you find db_home

use the key 'x' to delete characters you don't want

type the character 'i' to insert new letters

when you are finished and want to save

press 

esc ZZ

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