This is my FIRST open source install. I am a Mac guy generally. I bought the HP Mini because the KB was outstanding for my fingers. It came with Windows 7 - UGH. Just just using it for an hour to prepare the thumb was painful.

1. I hate to say it, but the Ubuntu site has a wad of confusing "install instructions" and it turns out just about none of it is useful, OR necessary. I went down three blind alleys reading gobs of complicated instructions, and in the end I discovered you do four simple steps: Download the IMG. Download an image burner; burn the image to a thumb, BOOT. It wouldn't even take a half a page on the web site. I have no idea what the other complicated pages are trying to do. Oh well, I stumbled onto the easy method and in half hour I was up and running.

2. WOW - this is C-L-E-A-N and speedy and I love the GUI. Weirdly, it's exactly as I always imagined a GUI ought to be layed out. Even on this little Atom processor it runs snappy and sharp. I am very impressed. It found my Mac wireless network right off, and bingo, I was live.

3. The Mini is nice, but frankly a little cheesy and toyish. However, it IS reasonably prices and how much can you expect for $350 bucks?

This was a really fun project and I think I will enjoy Ubunto Mini.