I used linux on all of my pcs and laptops since there was knoppix 3.2 after some trials with suse and redhat
Key point to switch was the successful help of dd_rescue on a damaged harddisk system, that ran important software in WinNT.
some generations of PCs an Laptops worked fine since then. Actually my 980g Asus Netbook. And since 4 years there is no win software anymore in my household installed. I feel perfect to trial out new hardware in our big red loud consumer supply store using usb bootsticks.
Beeing impressed and happy by the growing performance from version to version.