There are some people whose interest in Linux is borne out of mere curiosity. And a good number of them can’t muster enough courage to go all the way right away. That is, to outright replace their Windows working environment with Linux. It is understandable that they would prefer a setup wherein they can continue working in the environment that they are familiar with and be able to try out Linux during their spare time. Luckily, these people have a couple of options: a Live CD or a Dual Boot System.
Live CD’s
Live CD’s are bootable compact disks that allow you to explore the features of an operating system (in this case, Linux) as if you were in that particular OS. To use, you simply load the Live CD into your optical drive, boot up your PC, and presto! – You’d be on your way to your first Linux experience.
Once inside, you’ll get to see everything that you’ll find in a basic installation of the particular Linux distribution that came with the CD. Now this is not just a regular window-shopping experience, as you’ll also be allowed to perform almost everything you can in a typical installation. That includes running programs, opening windows, exploring folders, checking out system resources, detecting hardware, viewing your Windows files and folders, and many others – even surfing the Web if you have an Internet connection.
If you think that sounds like a complete working environment, it is. There is one major drawback though. Most of this Live CD’s operations can be very slow, primarily because they load up into your RAM. Now, if your specs are limited, you’ll end up crawling your way to the shutdown button in no time. Let’s face it, if it would take forever to try out a single application no one can expect you to move on and try out the rest. In my experience, 1 GB of RAM already allowed me to seamlessly navigate through Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex), although I’m not sure if 512 MB still would.
Here’s a wiki table that provides a lot of good information regarding Live CD’s of the popular distributions. Some of them have specified the amount of RAM that will be used.
Dual Boots
A dual boot is a Linux installation wherein every time your system boots up you are allowed to choose between a Linux or a Windows boot. If you choose Windows, then you can go on with your usual tasks without even noticing the presence of the other operating system. In the same manner, choosing Linux would enable you to witness the full force of Linux, again without the slightest hint of the other operating system occupying your hard drive.
Dual boots actually take you a step further since the experience can be smoother. This is because Linux no longer has to load into RAM in the same manner that a Live CD does. The result is a full-featured setup that allows you to do everything that can be done in a Live CD operation and much more.
Unfortunately, there are no free lunches here. It's no longer as simple as loading a CD. You'll have to actually go through a complete installation process. In fact, it can get a little tricky once you get to the point of choosing the partitions on which Linux will be operating on.
In all my dual boot installations, I always installed Windows first. And in the context of our discussion, you don't have a choice since Windows would already be installed in the first place.
Since a dual boot does not require as much memory as a Live CD, and hence is substantially faster, it is ideal for emergency purposes (among others) such as the need to work on certain files in your Windows partition when your Windows environment is experiencing problems in the middle of an impending deadline.
So which one is better? Live CD or Dual Boot?
It depends on how curious you are and what level of Linux experience you'd like to have. IMHO, a Live CD is only a good testing environment if your hardware specs are pretty decent. That way, you won't be discouraged by the interface's slow reactions. A dual boot can provide a better testing experience if only you can hurdle the installation part.
While a dual boot is already considered as a full installation, it still is just a testing environment. If you're an average computer user, for as long as Windows is around in your system,you'll always be tempted to use it more often than your newly installed Linux. I'd love to hear some objections out there.
The fastest way to learn Linux might be to go all the way. But then again, this article is all about testing the Linux waters, isn't it?
It's time to go and have a cup.