Linux (in Off-topic)

How do I run Linux and Windows on the same system?

most people dual boot

VMWare player is now free, so that might be an option too

then there's colinux which is hella cool but rather less user-friendly to install

We have a guy in the office that likes Win4Lin, maybe its worth a demo download?

Dual Boot. Have a separate partition for Linux, and choose between Linux and Windows when you boot up.
Most distributions allow you to resize your existing partition(s) to make room.

Another way is to use a Live CD (like Knoppix, or the Kororaa GLX demo (if eye candy is what you want ;)
With a Live CDrom, you boot Linux from CDrom. OK, it's slower than from harddisk, and saving changes is a bit more difficult ;)) but on the other hand no changes to your existing system is made.

There are any number of way to accomplish your goal. There are also a seemingly endless number HOWTO docs for it. Most Linux install programs
have the ability to setup a dual boot system, I would suggest starting with VMware however, since you can hose your disk doing that.

I think I'll check out Vmware, I've taken up an interest in coding, and a friend told me Python is one of the best languages to learn first. I just don't want to make my room-mate's head spin by completely changing his OS. (was told linux was the only way to go)

Changed my mind, Dual Boot sounds like the best way. Now to find a HOWTO.

I would be surprised if there was no Python available for Windows. Another approach could be to install Cygwin under Windows. This comes with a great amount of Unix programs, for Windows.

So many options :| I just want to learn python, trying to take it one step at a time. Figured I could go: Python, C, C++, LISP, Perl.

Python is available for Windows. Google it. Has a Windows installer and everything, and has some great modules for everything from automating Word/Excel to using .NET libs.

When in doubt, GOOGLE!

Thanks for the quick answers, if anyone has advice for someone just beginning to learn a language, or programming in general, all help is graciously accepted.

My advice is that Python is wonderful, and here's why.

Python let's you play. It has a command line where you can play with single lines of code or run modules. It is the same reason I fell in love with (and still love) Visual Foxpro. There's nothing like playing with objects or data access one line at a time and exploring the methods, properties, and syntax of the language (especially with Intellisense).

Lots of languages have such interactive capabilities now, at least in the debugger or in wizards, etc. But Python and Foxpro have had what I call "Command Windows" since the beginning. In VFP, the commands can be saved and scrolled back darn neared infinitely, and you can even select entire blocks of code and have them run at once (I haven't been able to figure out how to do that in Python's command window or in IDLE without having write a file).

Bottom line: play around. A LOT. When you don't understand something, write snippets of code, even stupid code, until things are operating as you expect them to. That means you have mastered that concept. The brain thrives on trial and error at times -- use that to your advantage.

For someone new to python on Windows I would recommend giving SPE a try. (Yeah, google it. :) The learning curve isn't much higher than IDLE and it's a lot more sophisticated.

Oh my, that does look nice... Thanks for that tidbit, Jonathan!