Start With The Easiest

As the title implies, I started trying 64 bit distros with possibly the easiest install as far as hardware recognition goes: Ubuntu 8.04, amd64 version. No problems whatsoever. Ubuntu even managed to install a NVidia driver that doesn't ****-up everything. Yes, I'm quite pleased with the result. I could have tried 8.10, but from what I've read, the LTS versions are a safer bet - less flaky. The next candidate for installation will be slamd64. I'll keep Ubuntu, because sometimes I'm in a pointy-clicky mood and I might even develop a taste for eye-candy: twirly-whirly 3D desktops and all that. Who knows?