Yes, I’m serious, and not just because I tend to use Linux desktops a lot and Mint in particular. I’m suggesting it for XP users for several specific reasons.
First, Mint’s Cinnamon interface can be set to look and act a lot like XP. Yes, you’ll have a learning curve, but it’s nothing like the one you’ll face if you move to Windows 8 or Mac OS.
Second, Mint is free and even the latest version, Mint 16 Petra, can work on almost any XP system you already have in house. All Linux Mint needs to run is an x86 processor; 512 MBs of RAM (albeit you’ll be happier with 1GB); 5 GBs of disk space; a graphics card that can handle 800×600 resolution; and a CD/DVD drive or USB port. That’s it.
Next, you don’t have to commit to Mint. You can try it before installing it by using a live USB thumb-drive.