Let me chip in with my experience with Linux.
I dual boot Linux and Windows the last 8 years or so, with Linux (Kubuntu specifically) being my main OS for work, virtualization, web browsing etc. Whenever I boot the computer with Windows it's basically to be used as a gaming console.
I totally agree with the fellow tech-heads above about trying Linux in a virtual machine before installing it on actual hardware. In the case you decide to install it on a drive, I would recommend the following setup:
Use separate drives for each OS. Install either one on a drive that is the ONLY connected drive on the system. After the process is done, power down, disconnect that drive, connect the second one ALSO ALONE in the system and install the other OS. Use your BIOS/UEFI boot selection to switch between them. The reson for this is that installation and major updates for Windows tend to use ANY other drive than the "C:\" to put the boot loader in.
That, and backup EVERYTHING important to you, ideally both on the clound and on a local drive / NAS / optical / tape / stone tablets.