Well I am using Mepis7.0 and a version of Ubuntu7.10 called gOS currently. I would recommend Mepis7.0 highly to any new users because most everything just works out of the box with Mepis with not too much tinkering around. Ubuntu is also a good choice however I much prefer the KDE desktop to the Gnome which comes with Ubuntu, so instead I would recommend Kubuntu which is Ubuntu with KDE instead of Gnome. I would NOT recommend gOS, I am a global moderator on the gOS forum and really it is just a mess, it is a very incomplete version and the people that put it out have changed it several times and not always for the better. So because of all the problems with it I just do not recommend it. The great thing about linux is there is a flavor for everyone! And lots of linux community out there willing to help. Changing from dial up in my opinion is absolutely one of the best moves a person can make! It becomes a whole new world. I am on verizon fios which I love because it is so stable and extremely fast. IF you get a good modem/router that has a built in Nat firewall on, and install a software firewall like zonealarm free you will be on your way to stopping the bad guys. With Linux of course that is less of a worry but there are firewalls and antivirus programs for linux, in fact in Mepis7 the guarddog firewall comes with it set up and on, as well as ClamAV antivirus, pretty neat since it is all free. Most of the versions of linux come as a live cd which means you can take the cd put it in your computer then reboot the pc so that it now boots from the cd drive (on some pc you have to set the boot order in the bios) when the pc boots up it is running off of the linux cd, nothing gets installed to your pc, you can log in to the demo and look around and use it just like it was installed on your computer, you can get a good feel for it that way and even browse the internet using the provided firefox browser. When you log off you take the cd out and next time you reboot you are right back to your regular pc. To install it once the live cd is in and you are running from it there is an install button right on the desktop of the linux distro you just hit install and follow the directions. Now if you are going to be doing a dual boot system that is more detailed since you will have to do some partitioning to keep your windows partition and create a new partition for linux to live on. But again that partition program is built right into the live cd and is pretty easy, however I would get some one who knows a little about partitioning to help out. You do not want to accidentally wipe out your windows!

Hi, Thanks for the responses ! :-) First, my apologies. I'm very neuro-flatulent today. ;-) I need to make two corrections. She uses Avira not Avast. (She had been using Avast and that was causing some trouble, as other users of those two programs noted.) Avira has been working quite well so far. I think my main issue (and my second correction) is the 'nag factor' associated with Online Armor. (I'm afraid my word "conflict" was a case of me accidentally typing the word that was in the back of my mind thinking about the issues mentioned above between Avast (her former AV) and OA. Sorry for the confusion.... :-( ) Anyway, OA constantly asks me to allow/block things when I'm doing updates, scans, etc. Even when I tick the "trust this program" box I still get asked repeatedly to give my permission for things. It's just the inconvenience of it all. And I assume that 'nag factor' would still be there if I replaced Avira with MSE, so I'd gain nothing. (And as far as third-party firewalls go, I do like OA for her XP computer because it seems to pass leak tests better, in my limited experience. So, until MSE comes out with a FW as part of the software (the two-way kind) -- or until my aunt upgrades to something like Windows 7 that has a better FW -- I guess she may as well stay put with Avira and OA.) Also, my aunt does have Spywarblaster, so she's covered there. :-)

I don't use Windows Live Mail ... but my understanding is it's largely the same as Outlook Express. If not, you'll have to wait for someone else to come along with the correct answer, as I am not going to install WLM for testing purposes. There should be a menu selection to access the account configuration. In OE it was under Tools / Accounts. Dig further into those settings to find the entry fields for the incoming and outgoing server and other such settings. Enter the changes and that should be it. Presumably your user name (e-mail address) won't change, but enter the correction if it does. Same for the password. Of course, get the details on the new server names and related settings from your service before you go in to make the changes.

I'm not a pro, but here's my two cents..........I switched six years ago after twenty years with PC. For me, the change has been wonderful. My down-time dropped to zero instantly and has stayed there. No hardware or software troubles and no bugs from the beginning until now....and I'm up and running 24/7/365. Of course I've had to learn new programs and aps but at least the machine doesn't fight me all the time like my PC's always did. Thing just sits here and runs. In response to the "Macs are expensive" argument so often encountered, I would like to say this: I used to bring in computer-techs twice year, on average, to straighten out my PC stuff. Not having to do that anymore has essentially paid for the machine at this point...and those service-dollars spent don't include the annoyance and aggravation and lost work-time that accompanied the issues. Your hot-button appears to be your particular kind of work...which I am not familiar with. Since it's important to you, I would advise finding an Apple Store and taking some of your stuff on disk or flash-drive with you. All their machines will be there up and running all the time. Let them show you how the iMac would work with your stuff and you can decide based on your actual experience. I do have several professional friends who are compelled to work with programs that only run on Windows. Those folks run Windows on their Macs via parallels and run their proprietary programs that way. However, except for those programs, they leave Windows off and run everything else with the Mac's OS. As far as "learning curve", you'll be amazed at what you can do within hours. In my case, having no previous experience, I was surfing within 45 minutes of the box arriving at the door. I was comfortable within days; confident in a week; proficient in a couple of weeks. And I was absolutely paranoid in the beginning because of all my PC hassles over the years. My advice would be don't worry about the learning curve. I have little doubt things will flow very naturally for you. At this point, I have many family members and friends who have made the switch and they've all said the same thing about that.