Thinking about switching OS

[Gig_em]

I'm getting sick of Windows bogging my system down. It seems like every couple years I have to do a fresh install to keep the system running fast. I don't know how long MSoft will support XP with Vista out, but I don't plan to stick around to find out. I've heard that Vista is crap, vulnerable to attack, etc. In other workds it is a typical MSoft product.

I've been reading up on ubuntu and have downloaded and burned a disk image to CD. Does anyone here used ubuntu, and give me their opinion about it and availability of applications etc.? I'm pretty knowledgeable regarding computers, but don't really like to spend alot of time trying to configure the programs to make them run "right". This has been my biggest hurdle to going to a Linux machine. How is ubuntu with regards to having to get down into the "nuts and bolts" to get it to run right?

[speed]

Ubuntu is built on top of Debian Linux. I have been using Debian since the late 90s. I used Red Hat for several years before that.

Ubuntu is a solid Linux distribution with a ton of software only a couple of clicks away. If you have enough horsepower you can get VM Player for free, which will let you run Windows in a virtual machine inside Ubuntu.

Ubuntu forums is a good place to start reading.

SM