You don't have to be a CTO to have a difficult time deciding on technology. Even when the question is a home system, there are plenty of trade-offs to take into account. Dear Bob …If I install Linux on my PC that has Vista HP, will I be able to run either when I want to? Or will Linux wipe out the Vista?I’m new to this computer stuff, but I heard that Linux is a far better OS. – Home userDear Home user …It depends on how you install Linux. Many Linux “distros” give you the option of setting up your PC for what’s called “dual boot.” This lets you choose whether you want to run Windows or Linux each time you boot up your system. [ Get sage advice on IT careers and management from Bob Lewis in InfoWorld’s Advice Line newsletter. ]If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, (and having a technically knowledgeable friend help you would be a good idea for this possibility), you can install Linux and use a product called Xen to run Vista inside what’s called a “virtual machine” — a software emulation of a real PC. That lets you switch back and forth between Linux and Vista without having to reboot.Before you start: You’ve heard Linux is superior to Vista. So far as software engineering is concerned, I’m inclined to agree (although Vista does have its defenders, and this isn’t a black-and-white question). That’s less important than determining which is a better fit for your computing lifestyle. If all you’re planning to do is browse the Internet, use e-mail and instant messaging, and not a lot else, Linux is a clear winner. It does all those things very well and costs a fraction of what you’ll spend on Vista.If you need word processing, a spreadsheet, a presentation package, or some combination of the above, the question is more complicated. You can accomplish all of these quite well in Linux using a package called Open Office. If you plan to e-mail the results to friends and colleagues who use Microsoft Office, though, it’s a bit dicier, because while Open Office can read and write to the Microsoft Office file formats, it doesn’t represent them perfectly. Formatting can get garbled, especially presentation formatting, and in professional situations this isn’t what you want.I hope this helps. And, I hope this gives you an appreciation of what CTOs and their organizations have to deal with when making this sort of decision for a large enterprise. It’s just like the decision you’re about to make, only much more complex. – Bob Technology Industry