Time to make the jump from Microsoft XP to Linux?

If you're running Microsoft XP on your personal computer (PC), after April 8, 2014 you are apparently on your own.  Actually you and 1/3 of all the PC owners in the world still running XP are on your own. So you have a lot of company. See Infographic.

It is reasonable to speculate that soon after support is withdrawn, many new hacker attacks and distribution of malware will start to occur. It appears that any XP machine connected to the internet or other source of infection may not only be a danger to itself but to the other machines connected to the same local network.

Removal of Microsoft XP from your older model PC is becoming essential for many. If you're wondering what to do, you can purchase and install a more up-to-date version of Microsoft, buy a new PC  – or this may finally be the time to go ahead and switch to Linux.

If you agree that its finally time to make the jump to Linux on your PC, you're going to need some help.  I know I do.  So a quick search on the Internet for instructions on how to get started and go about doing surfaced the following guidance from various sources:

Total newbie...how can I change windows XP to Linux
An interesting thread on LinuxForums.org on switching from Windows XP to Linux.  The discussion starts as follows – "Hi! I am so newbie I don't even know where to begin. One thing I know is that I want to get rid of Windows XP on my PC and run Linux instead."

Converting a Windows XP Laptop to Ubuntu - Linux? - Yahoo Answers
Jun 11, 2013 - I have an old Win XP laptop. I want to install Ubuntu Linux on it. ... If you already have an Ubuntu install disk then follow from instruction 8. You will ...

How do I install a Linux os on a dell with a corrupted XP ...
An interesting discussion thread on Linux.com with lots of straight forward, helpful advice. For example – "No need to do anything special to remove Windows, just allow the Linux installer to wipe out any existing partitions and reformat the drive. Just about any distro will provide this option, just pay attention to the questions in the installer about partitioning - it will be pretty obvious."

The Perfect Desktop - Linux Mint 15 (Olivia) | HowtoForge
This tutorial shows how you can set up a Linux Mint 15 (Olivia) desktop that is a full-fledged replacement for a Windows desktop, i.e. that has all the software that people need to do the things they do on their Windows desktops.  All software comes free of charge.

Installing  Ubuntu  12.04  LTS
A free tutorial on Softpedia that will teach users how to install the Ubuntu 12.04 LTS operating system.

Uninstall Win XP and install Ubuntu (latest version)
This discussion thread on the C/NET Linux Forum also provides some useful suggestions and tips on uninstalling Windows XP and installing Ubuntu Linux.

Germans Give Out Linux to Windows XP Die-Hards - Tom's Guide
Windows XP's time is running out, but the city government of Munich, Germany, knows one way to mitigate the dying system's security risk: Switch the entire city over to the Ubuntu Linux operating system…

Let readers here at Open Health News (OHNews) know what you chose to do with your PC running XP. Did you make the jump to Linux? If so, do you have any helpful observations or advice to pass on to others?