? About Linux

WTF?

That is all.

Ok, really. What's the deal? I want to know if I'm missing out on something here. Is it possible to try the Linux OS without having to completely ditch XP? I'd like to give it a look - after all, thats how I discovered Firefox, and I'll never go back.

So, please. Enlighten me.

Update

Reader Addison emailed me some good info, and I got the same advice in comments, so I'm going to give this little experiment a whirl on my laptop tonight, seeing as how it's my least crucial PC...in case I somehow manage to completely destroy everything. <-- See that word? "Everything"? I subconciously on accident typed it at first as "energydrink" - just to let you know where my mind is right now.

Update the Second

I DL'd Knoppix last night, but haven't run it yet. I also ordered another distro on CD to try. We'll get to the bottom of this Linux craze yet...