Spend enough time around computers, and soon enough you’ll hear of Linux, an operating system that is free to own and tinker with. Perhaps you’ve been put off looking at it any further by complicated jargon.

Well, fortunately, Linux isn’t that hard to use. In this article, the first of a five-part series, we’re going to show you how to get into the fascinating world of Linux and open source software.

A lot of people look at Linux as an alternative to Windows. It can be, but Linux requires a bit more effort on the whole. We suggest you look at Linux as something to run on an older, secondary PC as a project, or to run it on a partition while learning how to use the software.

Linux offers a full range of programs and tools, and it’s cheap and less susceptible to the twin curses of Windows – viruses and spyware.

It is possible to try Linux using what is called a Live CD, leaving Windows untouched. We’d suggest you try this first before attempting to install Linux.

In this series, we’re going to go a bit further and show you how to install and use Linux on a computer from scratch, with a version of Linux called Mandriva. You can get started now, or wait until the end of the series if you would rather see the full range of topics before taking the plunge.

What you need to run Mandriva Linux
The first task when installing Linux is to find a spare PC so that you don’t lose valuable data on your main PC.

If you can, use an old PC, or look out for a cheap, second-hand model. It’s possible to use the keyboard, mouse, monitor and other bits and pieces from your existing machine if you don’t mind switching them around.

Alternatively, buy a KVM switch so that you can share the monitor, keyboard and mouse. If you really want to install Linux on your main PC, back up all data and make sure you can reinstall Windows if needs be.

Mandriva should have no problem running on machines up to five years old, providing that enough memory is installed. An easy way to check this on Windows XP is to click the Start menu, then right-click the My Computer option and choose Properties.

The General tab usually reports the processor and the amount of memory installed. For the processor, look for names such as Pentium, Celeron, Athlon, Duron or Sempron, and for memory you want 256MB or more. You will also need a CD or DVD drive.

If memory is the only problem, look on the internet for an upgrade, for example Crucial. Mandriva recommends 256MB or more, but 128MB will do unless you want to run the whizzy Mandriva 3D Desktop. Next you will need an installation CD or DVD.