Geek Post - New Laptop, impressions

So I finally got around to buying a new laptop.
I've put it off for literally years, using my old Dell Latitude CPX (550Mhz, 512 Megs RAM) only when absolutely necessary, and using my home "Frankenbox" computer for most tasks.
However, recently the Frankenbox (so named because it is literally a Frankenstein of parts scavenged from old work computers and a smattering of new parts) has become really unstable, rebooting at random times. It could just be RAM, but it might be the motherboard.

I talked my sweetheart into letting me purchase a pretty good computer, one that I can write software on using many powerful tools at once. I got a Dell Studio 17 laptop.
After waiting for weeks for it to arrive, I promptly replaced the stock hard drive with a faster one (7200 rpm from 5400), and installed a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate I received at the Microsoft Server 2008 launch event earlier in the year. After getting it tuned in just so, I added partitions for Ubuntu Linux, and Windows XP.
I've gotten Ubuntu installed, and the dual boot working properly.

Now that I've spent a few weeks with Windows Vista, I find myself wondering what all the whining was about. Of course you should never install a Windows product before Service Pack 1, but overall my impression has been a good one. The User Account Controls aren't as overbearing as people complain, in fact I find it to be less intrusive than the controls imposed in Linux. It seems to be just a shiny new interface. Aero is pretty. I hate the Windows Explorer skin, but other than that, its been fine.

The coolest visual stuff has been on Ubuntu. Vista has cool looking gadgets, but it all pales in comparison to Ubuntu with CompizFusion installed. The effects there are mind blowing in a desktop OS.

I've dragged my feet on the Windows XP install, mostly because I have to slipstream some SATA drivers into my install disk. (If you don't know what that means, thats okay - that means you are probably normal...)

Overall, I'm absolutely in love with my shiny new toy!

Update: I've gotten XP installed, and got the triple-boot working. It wasn't as easy as the dual-boot, let me tell you.
I am still working on some driver issues for XP and Ubuntu, but all three OS's are functional at this point.

Wicked cool stuff!