Owain - I agree with you, but it is a Windows world when dealing with some third-party software and Novell Networks. I'm still trying to find a way to get onto our office network - eventually I will. But in the meantime, I need some good Linux based screenplay software. Knoppix 3.6 has wireless capability that hooks right up as soon as the live CD disk is run - so wireless inability is a thing of the past. My other two issues shouldn't be too difficult to rectify.
azasadny - XP is a good system, it's just that Linux runs faster, is less prone to viruses, is continually evolving, contains a smaller footprint on the hard drive, and best of all is completely free.
XP costs $299.00 and can only be used three times,
AFAIK.
XP needs a boatload of third party virus and spyware to keep it running well. Before you know it, with a standard brand PC (Dell, IBM, etc. and all their embedded software), you're running 45 processes at once - at least I was - which made my machine slower than molasses even with a 1.3 ghz Centrino chip and 512mb of ram.
XP still needs office (for example), which costs close to $400.00. Office is part of any Linux OS when it is downloaded from the Internet.
XP takes up, what, 300 mb of HD space, while most Linux flavors are less than 10mb.