dear community,
its so nice to be back and look at everyone's issues...the query that brings me here today is the fact that i just bought a notebook some 15 days back and so far i am stuck with using VISTA (why does microsft have to mimic everything we do at *nix)...because i need some of the basic windows programs for my office i find it digestible to work on it for small time but for me i would rather like a linux distribution that works well...
i am probably looking for a something that has good hardware base, good software repository and updated goodies are easier to find with it.i generally like catchy graphics and cool effects that make linux so smooth! and may be some internet and multimedia options would be a basic need.not to forget some networking features will kick in too.quite frankly i have not been using linux for past 6 months so finding a distro from all new ones in the market seems very tiring for me....
please recommend me couple of disributions that i may be able to look at...my specs are as under:

notebook:hp pavilion dv 2000
model: dv2834ca
processor: intel C2D T5550 i.e. 1.8G 2MB L2 667MHz FSB
RAM: 3GB
HDD:320GB Toshiba MK3252GSX
Display: 14" with intel 965 chipset on board adapter
Optical: DVD RW multilayer lightscribe
Wifi: intel wireless 4965AGN
NIC: marvell yukon 88E8039 pci-e fast ethernet
5 in 1 card reader: ricoh xd sd mmc memory stick reader
modem: HDAUDIO soft data fax modem
cam: hp 1.3mg web cam (currently using cyberlink youcam with it)
bluetooth and mic and headphones....
it prpbably all i can find in my device manager...
kindly tell me looking at this machine what distro should i look to....

awaiting anxiously
umair

Any one of Debian, Fedora, or Ubuntu should work OK on your laptop and meet your other requirements. Of the three Debian has the best software repository.

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Steve Stites

Give Ubuntu 8.10 (an excellent Debian-based OS) a try ... I've been using it for more than a few years it's been great for me on two laptops and three desktops ... current lappie is an HP dv9000. Or take it a step further and go for Ultimate Edition 2.0, an Ubuntu 8.10 derivative running on a double espresso topped off with a dose of steroids! Both very user friendly easy installs with super hardware support and excellent help from Ubuntu and the user forums. You won't be sorry ...

dear community
i wish to thank you for your support and response...i have finally installed fedora core 9 64bit edition on my lappie....i would certainly give ubuntu a try as proposed and would be reporting you my results and observations...
meanwhile i am trying out fedora for a while....by the way the issue was not linux it was God damned vista whose bootloader had some trouble wont let other OS install somehow..now i have installed freebcd which gives me a third party bootloader and i can now boot both OS together....

thanks again.

umair jamil