I am interested in 2006 Linux operating system. Is it good? Can i install my windows programs on it, such as micrsoft word or The Sims or things like that?

try reading about this for linux it is good less attackable then windows more security

Linux is very good. It is faster and more stable than Windoze. But your Win programs will not run on it. There are many public domain programs available for Linux, which are free or cheap.

Linux is not windows, so no you cannot install windows products on it because they won't work! Well you can run windows application inside Linux with VMware, but first it doesn't support all windows applications and second it doesn't mean they are 100% compatible!Linux comes with it's own software (which in general is free) which can replace many similar windows application (MS word is replaced in Linux by Open Office, in general but there are other office packages for it).You'll have a problem regarding games, since not all game developers released the version for Linux! Trying to run a game written for windows on Linux even with VMware isn't so easy to be done.. This doesn't mean all the games are written for Windows...Linux comes in various distributions! They all start from the same kernel but not all are the same! Look at distrowatch.com and see all the distributions available and a user classification

There is no single Linux operating system. The name Linux stands only for the operating system kernel, i.e. the part of the operating system which communicates with the hardware.What you mean is a Linux distribution - the kernel as well as a graphical user interface and a bunch of applications bundled together and pressed on CD or DVD. There are lots of different distributions out there. If you just want to experiment with it, I'd recommend a 'live CD' version, i.e. a Linux system which runs from CD without touching your hard drive. For a newbie friendly version, look at Freespire (-> http://www.freespire.org ) or Ubuntu (-> http://www.ubuntu.com ). Should you decide to install a Linux distribution on your PC, you will want to use native Linux software rather than your Windows software. It is possible to run Windows applications using a software called 'WINE', however... setting this up so that it works with all the software you want to use can be a daunting task even for experienced users. Simply put, it's more of a hassle than it is worth.Good luck with your experiments in the Linux world. You will need it.

Download one of the LIVE CD versions of Linux from Frozen Tech.com and try them out. Or you can go straight to SLAX KILLBILL and run it from your CD. Once you learn the system and are free of "Bill the Barbaric" you'll never want to go back!