i think the first time i used linux was through a shell account a friend set up for me on his box about 8 or 9 years ago. now-a-days i run slackware on my 2 computers, one being my laptop, the other my server. i dont have a windows partition since i dont need windows for anything. i can use my ipod, digital camera, usb floppy drive (trash picked) external lcd monitor for laptop (trash picked), and usb memory stick with no problems. screw windows, its a hulking spyware ridden piece of trash full of government backdoors and its crippled by design.