You can always install using wubi... http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/downloadmirrors#wubi Just like installing a program, you keep clicking next, and before you know it, you have ubuntu on your system And yes there is a way to have ubuntu boot off your thumbdrive, I find wubi easier (you can also permanently install it from within wubi) http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/downloadmirrors#wubi I just installed 9.04... its pretty sweet, last time I used ubuntu was 6.0, so yes, this is a HUGE upgrade. Make sure you get wicd for your wifi manager. Much better than that built in crap. Make sure you get VLC player... Also Opera runs beautifully on Ubuntu.
So is this supposed to be the best Linux distro currently out there? I haven't touched Linux in a while, though my Windows Domain Controller is running in a virtual server running on my Red Hat box. How's that for irony?
"Best" is a very subjective term. I think this is probably the best easy to use personal desktop type distribution. But it's highly subjective and depends on personal preference. For my money, give me the Gnome interface and the "granny" controls.
