Since its creation in 1991 by Linus Torvalds to the present day, Linux has been half operating system and half symbol. This publicly licensed operating system has a sort of mystical aura about it that's about as cool as you can get in the computer world. In this first part of PCstats two-part guide to basic Linux use and installation, we aim to familiarize you with using Linux for everyday computing purposes by means of the most popular Linux desktop environment, KDE.

Since we realize that many users will not be willing to take the plunge and install Linux onto their systems to test it, we will use a 'live CD' Linux distribution, which can run entirely off a single CD. This will allow you to get used to the feel and function of the KDE desktop environment, as well as learn some basic Linux commands, while avoiding a permanent install. All you have to do is boot from the CD. Your existing Windows files are left completely intact.