If you've ever been tempted to give Linux a whirl but have been put off at the thought of installing it, it's time to take a look at PenDriveLinux.

Sure you can run most Linux distributions from a live CD or DVD, but it's not quite the same. For a start CD/DVD drives are a whole lot slower than regular hard drives meaning that you get a somewhat more sluggish experience, but their main drawback is they're not writeable. Obviously putting it on a USB stick is the answer, but how do you get it on there?

PenDriveLinux have a number of solutions ranging from their Universal USB Installer to the Linux Live USB Creator (both for Windows) through to the well-known UNetbootin (available for both Windows and Linux). If you have large USB stick you can create a multiple-boot Linux stick with MultiBoot USB.

The great thing about PDL is that they're a one-stop shop for USB installations with straightforward instructions for a huge range of distributions and a comprehensive Help section with tools, compatibility tests, cheatcodes, common BIOS USB options and directions on restoring your USB stick if everything goes pear-shaped. It' well worth checking out!