Install linux what happens to your programs

When you install linux what happens to your programs?

Put very simply, you don't have to clear everything out, but your programs will still only be on the original operating system (like Windows XP). Allow me to explain...

When you install Linux, like openSUSE (http://software.opensuse.org/ - my recommendation), you are given two choices. The first one is to split the hard drive up between Windows which you already have and the new Linux (giving you the choice of which one to use every time you turn on the computer) and the second choice is to completely remove Windows and start fresh with Linux.

If you have the partition to dual boot both Windows and Linux, everything you have on Windows (programs and files) are safe, but you can only access them when running Windows.

If you have it install Linux to the whole hard drive, it does completely format (meaning erase) Windows including all of your programs and files. (So you would want to back them up first like copying software setup files and your files and folders to a writable DVD or something and then put them onto Linux later.)

To state again, the programs and files stick with the operating system; get rid of the OS and you get rid of the programs too, but you can choose to keep Windows.

An important note: Windows programs are not the same as Linux programs. They are different types of files. A Windows program will not install (by default) on Linux. (Though I want to clarify that specific document files, like Word documents or music, will run on Linux.) You will be able to install most Linux software you need from an install manager inside the OS, but installing other software can be tricky depending on how it's formatted. You can actually install some Windows software on Linux, but that's only after installing a compatibility-layer program called Wine.