Hold it guys! I am overwhelmed at your generosity of advice. Perhaps I overstated my knowledge and abilities? I consider myself a computer expert (although I prefer messing with the HW). I was working with Autocode for Pegasus forty odd years ago, then FortranIV, then Basic. I do DOS with the proverbial eyes shut. I have two detailed books on Linux from Sybex and Marcel's. For sixty odd years, I've been able to learn fast - very fast - almost anything. I speak six languages, but Linux is an entirely different ballgame. As a former academic, I strongly disapprove of experts talking amongst themselves - their salaries are paid to disseminate knowledge amongst the masses, not enshrine it in cliquish technospeak.
The bottom line is that that there are ten-thousandfold more putative PC users than there ever will be Unix gurus. They deserve a reliable OS - no servers (gurus), no networks (gurus), few choices, and no barriers to installation, etc. Unlike certain other OSes, though, it has to be bullet-proof.
With the terrific support you two folk offer, I am likely to achieve the objective, evetually, for which I am exceedingly grateful. How many neophytes will not?! How much longer will the gurus continue to shoot themselves in the corporate feet when an amazing opportunity to simplify their offerings and thereby rule the world remains wide open?
Non-IT people have been banging away on this theme for several years now, but the message just doesn't get through! Linus T has given the world a masterpiece, Hr Dr Klaus has brilliantly tailored a CDRom version, the Debian team has created a terrific access system - why haven't the miriads of developers not understood where their own next best chance lies? I'd've thought it would've been enlightened self-interest? There's no merit in trying to sell an OS - the payoff is in job-security and consultancy!
Again, many thanks, Cd and BY; constantly amazed by the helpfullness of contributors in this Forum.
OG.