You can "try" Ubuntu by downloading their software from
www.ubuntu.com. It's an .iso image which you should burn as a CD. Burn it and boot your computer with the CD in the drive and it will start the Ubuntu system and completely by-pass your windoze OS. Everything then is running off the CD, so it's a little slow (don't judge the installed system by that!) but it gives you a good opportunity to try the system, look at the different features and programs. You won't be able to save anything, but you will be able to play. It has open office, firefox and lots more good stuff already installed.
When you're done restart the computer again, take out the CD and let the system start normally and your back into your normal windoze.
As long as you have an internet connection you should be ok for most of the drivers you need. There can be some issues, but they can usually be solved pretty quick. A wonderful thing about the ubuntu community & resources is that the software is located in "repositories", or computer directories and these are accessed by the system to install new software, drivers, updates, etc. The contents of these repositories are all open-source, free, fully licensed and freely accessible for anyone to download from at any time.
I have a Canon scanner/printer - I plugged it in and Ubuntu found the drivers in about 10 seconds.
Open Office talks to word fine. I've often opened word docs ans saved OO docs as word to give to others to use. No problems. It can also save docs as pdf, which is a really useful and universally accessible format - particularly if you don't want people editing or changing your document.