MadMonkey: Sounds good, I'll look into it. My only other question (though logically the answer is no) .... there are no problems with board drivers or is that something WINE would be able to handle, or would be fixable via the UBUNTU software centre?
as to Windows.. I remember PC's before Windows.. when the likes of X tree gold (sp) were the way. Or, as I use to own, the o/s of the Amiga systems (RIP) .. It was nice to able alter a few lines in a duplicate of the start up disc to make the screen as you wanted it.