The last Windows computer in our house is very shortly going to be history :-) I have been threatening my wife’s PC for quite some time now, but there has been no real motivation to move until today… Our bank called and told her a credit card has been fraudulently used in the last few days.

So one of the cool things I was asked to do for someone a couple of months ago was show them how to convert an AVI video into a playable DVD that they could give to a friend. I had originally suggested VSO ConvertXtoDVD program, which I had a lot of good luck with in the past. But I wanted to do the same thing in Linux and I found a program that I think does a better job.

No, I didn't write that title wrong. Linux's key advantages, such as customizability, the repository system, hardware support, and excellent interfaces, are frequently viewed as downsides or deal-breakers to new users. How many times have you seen someone complaining that it is so much easier to install software on Windows or claiming you can't do anything with Linux without being a hacker?

One of the first things I did when I moved from Vista to Ubuntu was install a nice looking theme. The default Ubuntu theme is pretty decent, but I dont like the brown and when browsing posts like this and this, I knew I wanted a sexier look for my laptop.

Xubuntu and I parted ways a long time ago. When I started using Ubuntu, I quickly orphaned my $3000 laptop in favor of a $300 secondhand machine, and Xubuntu became my weapon of choice. Over the years it became quite chunky though, and as a result I said goodbye, preferring to build them myself or pick a distro that was truly lightweight.

One of the questions that many new Linux users ask is “Should I run antivirus software on Linux?” I have two reasons why not to and three why you should.

I've been using Fedora (Core and all) on and off for a few years now and its parsimonious attitudes to codecs notwithstanding, the thing that always reduces me to a whimpering, pleading wreck is watching Yum installing a piece of software. I can forgive its tendency to handhold and even to confabulate, but Yum moves with all the speed of a treacle flow at the North Pole.

At one time, asking if Linux could play games elicited laughter and disappointment. Games were basic and lacked the graphics and game play that Windows offered. However this is starting to change and dozens of high quality games have been released to run on Linux platforms.