When installing any distribution of Linux, it's important that we first plan out how we're going to partition the computer's hard disk. When you partition your hard drive, you're essentially creating artificial boundaries that split your disk into various sections. With Windows and Mac OS X, creating multiple partitions is not typical, though power users may favor this approach. Such users will often create a partition for the operating system, another partition for programs, another one for personal data, and so on. Mac and Windows computers are typically sold with a single partition, and most users will simply accept this as it is.
When it comes to Linux, partitioning is the norm and is a subject that is very commonly debated. As Linux users grow in their skills and knowledge, they will eventually come to prefer a specific partitioning scheme and in some cases, deem it superior to others. In actuality, there is no right or wrong approach to partitioning...