All the typical newbie-friendly Linux distros come in a "Live USB" format, where you make a special USB stick, put it into your computer, restart, and then you're in that flavor of Linux. No risk, it's not installed unless you hit the big "install" button on there.
My general Linux advice is to try one of those, go putter around in that for a while, and see if everything works for you. The big ones are internet and, if you're on a laptop, hibernate/suspend. If stuff works on the live USB, go for it. (Back up your shit first though, this applies for installing any OS, and also just if you haven't done it in a while.)
And if stuff on the live USB doesn't work, don't bother. File a bug report somewhere if you're feeling particularly charitable. Try a different distro if you're particularly determined. Try again in six months, or when you get a new computer. It's unfortunate, but that's what we're stuck with as long as Windows gets preinstalled and Linux doesn't.
All the typical newbie-friendly Linux distros come in a "Live USB" format, where you make a special USB stick, put it into your computer, restart, and then you're in that flavor of Linux. No risk, it's not installed unless you hit the big "install" button on there.
My general Linux advice is to try one of those, go putter around in that for a while, and see if everything works for you. The big ones are internet and, if you're on a laptop, hibernate/suspend. If stuff works on the live USB, go for it. (Back up your shit first though, this applies for installing any OS, and also just if you haven't done it in a while.)
And if stuff on the live USB doesn't work, don't bother. File a bug report somewhere if you're feeling particularly charitable. Try a different distro if you're particularly determined. Try again in six months, or when you get a new computer. It's unfortunate, but that's what we're stuck with as long as Windows gets preinstalled and Linux doesn't.