LinuxQuestions.org - Which version? Pitfalls? Advice?

Hi,

I'll be getting a laptop, most likely a Compaq Presario R3000T, and I would very much like to use it as an opportunity to move to Linux.

I've been looking around the web for info about installing Linux on a laptop and have some questions ... no doubt very FAQs but am wondering how my specific situation will dictate the best action to take.

What I use the computer for: web development, including programming and graphic design.

What I'd like to be able to do with Linux, if possible:

Run popular graphics/development progs like Photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver, etc. Also using wireless, I'm assuming this is not a problem.

I understand there are open source equivalencies to many of these programs (except flash?) and would be quite willing to try them out. But I would need the ability to open photoshop/illustrator files etc, that other people send me.

Should I, for this reason, make a partition and use Windows for these tasks? Or is there a way to run these programs within linux?

There are many many options and it's hard for me to sort them all out. I dont have time to try every single one, and would like to know what is the best, or most common way that web developers would address the situation.

Which Linux version and windowing system is the best? Or, what are the advantages/pitfalls to each?

What might the machine-specific considerations be to deciding on these questions? What are the common hurdles to getting Linux running on a laptop, and on a Compaq Presario specifically?

Any advice would be much appreciated. I'm quite excited about the prospects of switching over ... I write PHP and use Open source, and fell that for me it's time to 'walk the walk'

Thanks!
Frizzo