I just got my new nVidia GeForce 9600GT 512MB PCI-e gfx card, and using the Ubuntu driver (195.36.24), but I noticed on the nVidia site, there is a Linux driver available (290.10), which one would be better to install?

I don't want to install the one from the nVidia site yet, just in case it breaks Ubuntu.

This card is anything but new. But anyways, the 195.xx driver is rather old, but works fine with your card. I am assuming that you use Ubuntu 10.04, so you won't get the newer driver from Canonical directly.
You can install the driver from the Nvidia site, but keep in mind that you have to re-install the driver every time your kernel gets updates.

I recommend 275.28, or of this same series. The newer drivers have bugs that crash the system randomly, at least for me and some other users (falling off the bus error).

Thanks guys, I think I'll stick to canonical, the recommended driver that Ubuntu shows is 195.xx. It'll be a bit tedious to keep installing the newish driver every time the kernel is updated.

By installing the version from the nVidia site, I thought there would be a bit more features, but you know what thought did? lol for those that don't know, "Thought, thought he crapped the bed and watched it steam, but he didn't,,, he only thought he did".

Most often, newer versions of Nvidia drivers mostly integrate support for new Nvidia technology, the part of the drivers that supported your card in past versions is no different in the latest version.

Well, I'll stick to using 195.xx.

Instead of starting a new thread, and seeing that this thread is about my 9600GT card, I'll veer of the driver subject a little, and ask if it's normal for the GPU to heat up to 127F (53C)?, according to the nVidia X Server Settings -> Thermal Settings, the target cooling is GPU, Memory and PSU, and fan control is variable, but speed is constant at 65%, also, before I inserted the GFX card, the CPU (not GPU) temp was between 77 and 80F, now, the gfx card is in place, and there's nothing around it to restrict air flow, the CPU temp has risen to 110F, so I did a small test, I removed the card, (oh and if anyone asks, both the onboard and addon card are nVidia, but the onboard only has 128MB shared memory, and both use the same Linux driver, so it was easy to pull out the card without re-installing the driver), and the CPU temp went down, put the card back in and CPU temp went up. The hardware info for the system is:-

CPU = AMD Athlon X2 X64 with the Swiftech Polaris 120 cooling system.
RAM = 2GB
PSU = 1KW
4 chassis fans, (80mm front inward, 120mm top inward, 2 x 80mm rear exhaust)
1 x eIDE 250GB HD
1 x SATA 500GB HD
double HD cooling fans that fit in the 5 1/4" bay above the HD's.

All wiring uses cable ties and routed around the case, with no trailing wires or over reaching wiring across either the GFX card or CPU.

Change the top fan to output.

53C is nothing for modern GPUs. I've got a passive cooled 8600GT, it sits around 65-80C (dependingh on local weather, how hard I'm running the case fans, and if I'm using the GPU fro gaming or VDPAU). Its been running at those temps for years. Similar story with the 8400GS and GT6600 cards I have (all passive cooled).

110F (44C) is nothing to worry about for the CPU. If it gets over, ohh, 65-70C then its worth worring about.

You could possibly drop temps a few degrees C with some cunning flow controls (eg, a baffle that runs from the 80mm exhaust fans to the CPU heatsink).

Why you have a 1000watt PSU is beyond me, but it wont be making much (if any) difference to case temps.

+1. Its a more efficient setup that way.

Wow. I could run my system twice with such a PSU, and my system is drawing far more power than yours should.. Total overkill.

I agree, but in theory, it shouldn't draw 1kW anyway. It will draw up to 1kW, but probably more like 300-400 watts.