I use Linux Mint 16. The Cinnamon desk top is similar to XP, or maybe I've got used to it. There is now a version 17. You download the file and burn it to a disk as an ISO, set your computer to boot from the CD/DVD drive and try it out. If you like it you can make a bootable flash drive, buy a new hard drive and install it on that or, more risky, dual boot on your C drive.

Linux has a free office suite with database, spreadsheet, word processor and drawing program fully compatible with Windows formats.

There is a program called Wine which allows me to run Sibelius 3 and a Sudoku program I bought when running XP.

Ther is another program that allows you to install Windows afresh inside Linux although I've not tried that.

Linux is great. A free operating system, loads of free software and a very supportive online community. I've used it for at least a year now, guess how many virus programs I've had to buy.