The first question to ask before getting new hardware or software is always "what are your needs?" Then what are your resources, and finally, what is available?
Most home users surf the Web, do e-mail, take and share digital pictures (well, you will), and trade and print documents with your friends. An open-source operating system does those things. It's safer on the Internet, because it doesn't get viruses.
There's one place open-source falls down, and that's running the very *cheapest* modems, printers, and cameras. If you've still got that ink-jet printer or all-in-one that came "free" with your mail-order Dell, chances are you'd have to replace it with a better model that has Linux device drivers. The same goes for most "software" modems, and Web cams. The good news is your Linux system will come with drivers for the mainstream and high-end devices. You should check one of the Linux compatibility sites or at least ask in a Linux forum before buying hardware that you expect to use with Linux. (linmodems.org, linuxprinting.org, gphoto.org and click on "800 cameras.") If that kind of thing is a show-stopper for you, you're stuck with Windows or Macintosh.
Do you take work home? (I guess not, or you would have had to ditch Windows-98 by now.) Do you run specialized software for stock trading or architectural design? Chances are it only runs on Windows. Do you have a favorite video game? You probably need Windows to launch it.
What are your resources? Can you afford to put more memory in your PC? Replace your printer? Replace a worn out or too-slow CD drive? Can you take a year to make this transition or do you need to make a fully functional office workstation in the next half hour?
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