After seeing the same questions asked by newbies to Linux coming from Windows 2k or XP or Win7, a baseline HowTo seems to be in order. The authors at thefreecountry.com seem to have put together one I think is hard to top.
Free Linux Distributions
I'm aged, too. Yes, it's my preferred method of install. Won't buy a machine without an optical drive unless said drive needs replacement and the machine is CHEAP! LOL
I'll buy build a machine w/o an optical drive, but if I have one already, I'll put it in. I also have USB floppy drives. Neither gets used much, but I need one or the other once in a great while. Installing distros? I won't go any other way than USB thumb drive. I have a drawer full of them.
Kinda old guy, here also, pushing 73. I don't want to burn up whatever time I have waiting on a CD/DVD deciding to start an install