Should i use Windows Vista or just purchase Windows 7?

[robinsonb5]

I may install Linux on my spare PC and have a bit of a play with it. I tried Linux a long time ago and did not like it, but i am hearing a lot of good things about Linux Mint these days so i might have to see what all the fuss is about.

Many people have disliked Linux in the past because it feels like too much of a departure from the familiar. But unfortunately for Microsoft, so do Windows 7 and 8! Mint would definitely be the starting point I'd recommend, but I'd also recommend playing with the others as time allows, just to see how widely they vary.