I just watched this and he spoke about installing "Wine" to be able to run some Windows based software on Linux, although he does recommend learning to use just Linux based software. My question is, has anyone installed it, does it work and what are your thoughts about doing so. Ultimately, I may if I can get along with Linux, install it on my main PC which is a good few years newer than the Asrock and also of course far more powerful and faster.
Don't....
Wine is only an emulator. So all the windows programs pollute and "corrupt" you main Linux install. It's just messy to me. Any problem at run-time with your windows programs could jeopardize you system, potentially corrupt your file system god knows what. And when you want to uninstall Wine it will always leave stuff behind, but you won't even know what and where. I just find emulators messy and unsafe. Also it requires all sorts of trickery, time consuming, trial and errors.. to get each and every of your Windows program t run properly, or as best as Wine can manage should we say. It's a lottery and a time consuming one.
That's why I much prefer using a virtual machine. First you get to install ACTUAL windows in it, so right there the compatibility with your windows programs is ... well, much less random.. you are actually using windows, not some emulator trying to mimic windows as beest it can...
Also, being a virtual machine, there is a clear and effective isiolation from the main system. You get one file for your virtual machine, the virtual hard drive of your VM... that's it. If anything happens to your windows programs, crashes, file corruption, anything... it is safley confined within the vuirutal machine. Your main system / Host Linux is not at risk.
I would say, in order :
1) See what Linux S/W is available first, if you can find something that makes you happy.
2) If really you don't get along with any of the Linux alternative S/W or if really need to run some piece of Windows S/W for whatever reason, then run it inside a Windows VM (I use VirtualBox, most popular).
3) If you are really unlucky and the VM has trouble running your S/W properly, then yeah I guess you can try Wine or other emulator to see if that works better... but IMHO, only as a last resort.
Luckily you are only experimenting on a spare computer so there is zero stress, you are starting out with Linux so you can afford to mess with it as much as you fancy, to cut your teeth, just like I did 20 years ago... was fun for sure, so much to play with and discover... Then once you have tried lots of stuff you will figure out what's best to do, what you like best, what no to do...and stick with it.
Have fun !