> Sharing the PC with my Dad and having to use darned USB flash drives has
> given my new computer a host of viruses from who knows where and errors in
> less than a couple of months. I decided to try Linux because trying to
> maintain a communal PC virus and spyware free is driving me up the wall.
>
> Before that, I'd like to get my facts straight, so here are some questions:
>
> 1) Could I dual-boot XP and Linux? (I have a dedicated 25GB partition I plan
> to use for the Linux install).
> 2) When using Linux, can I access the other partitions I made when I
> installed XP? Does the partition have to be a certain format? (FAT32/NTFS)
> 3) How safe is Linux from spyware/adware? Do I need an
> anti-virus/anti-spyware?
> 4) Do you think it's safe to plug in USB flash disks and memory cards
> knowing full well that they contain Windows viruses? Won't the Windows
> viruses have some effect on the Linux install?
> 5) I need Japanese input capabilities (IME). Is there an easy way to do this
> in Linux?
> 6) Does Linux support plug-and-play?
>
> I've downloaded the most recent version of Ubuntu (7.10 I think). Do you
> think this is good for a noob like me?
>
> Thanks a lot in advance!
