Finally I’m mostly done installing stuff and here is a screenshot of my Ubuntu System. Check out the network manager at the bottom right, the cool applets on the right (gdesklets). The picture of the turtle is an unprocessed picture I took in Hawaii using my S8000FD.
So far Ubuntu has detected all the hardware on the laptop correctly, hibernation is working. Restricted (non-free as in freedom) drivers were automatically used wherever required, my Windows drives were automatically mounted. The only thing so far not working for me is enabling compiz-fusion. I tried messing with the drivers and Ubuntu always loaded the graphical interface (in low graphics mode) even when I messed up the settings. Now I’m waiting until April for Hardy (8.04) in April hoping finally for compiz to work.
I tested DVD movies and a couple of downloaded ones and VLC was able to play everything. It took me some hunting to get the movies to show up on my projector but that qualifies for a separate post.