sed 's/Lynix/Linux/'

You can also install linux using virtual machine like vmware within windoz like any windoz application.
Vmware workstation is free for trial, you can download from http://www.vmware.com/download/ws/ . 
After 30days of trial period, you can again ask for new keys. They will easily give one. 
After installing vmware, you can create a guest OS ( New OS inside windoz) and start the linux installation.
Particularly, I like opensuse(opensuse.org) as it is more complete but Ubuntu (or Kubuntu or Xubuntu) 
is good for beginners.

Linux is not only free, it is famous because its Stable and Secure OS. Linux is far ahead of windows.

Saying this, I don't want to hurt windoz users. Windoz have some things that are good for desktop.
It is good for playing solitaire.......lol and sending email using Ms outlook. I haven't found a mail client 
which is as good as MS Outlook in Linux yet.

So, I suggest all the students to give it a try. There are lot of things to learn from Linux. 
Linux is the future.