I've been posting on silvertones other thread on this subject but because it is not obvious that it is about Linux ("my divorce became final") I've decided to add my two cents worth here also.
I've been a hard core Linux user for the last three years. My main computer, this laptop that I'm typing on now, has only Linux installed on it. It originally came with Vista, which I nuked and has had various versions of Ubuntu installed. I'm now up to ver 9.10
I also have a netbook running UNR (Ubuntu Netbook Remix)
As I am the support person for a large (130 members) computer club in my retirement village, I have to keep on top of Windows systems, so i also have a couple of Windows set-ups. One computer dual boots WinXP, and three different varieties of Linux (Xubuntu, Puppy Linux and Vector Linux) and another runs Windows 7
Why do I use this laptop as my main computer? Because it boots up from power on to checking my first email in 45 seconds and shuts down in 5 seconds.
It also runs BIAB 7 under WINE and various other free software (OpenOffice, Firefox, Opera, Evolution.. the list goes on and on)
And did I say that the software is FREE? Even the updates from one version to the next is FREE and required no change to any of my hardware, which is pretty basic.
And just to finish off, I have installed Moblin and CrunchBang Linux on USB drives and use them to boot my netbook from time to time. As we say Down Under - "No problems"

tony
Lenovo lappie, 4Gb RAM, 500Gb HD
Ubuntu 12.04
Running BIAB under WINE