I have three unrelated questions:

1) There is such a wide variety of software available for Linux that the problem becomes one of selection. Just the selection of browsers or email handlers is mind-boggling. After dinking around with it a bit, some are super applications while others are ... uh ... of limited use.

Is there a website with reviews and comparisons indexed by application function?

2) I would like to use a printer/scanner/fax that is connected to a Windows 2000 Pro machine via a hard-wired Peer-to-Peer LAN. Can someone point me toward some step by step HowTo instructions?

3) Lots of friends and family members use my office for fun, online training, research and work. There are a few files (financial records, passwords and PIN numbers, legal papers, etc.) that I want absolutely private. I have them encrypted with MIT's old free version of PGP on my Windows machines. I have no need for secure email communication or anything else, so those features are just clutter for me. What Linux application will import my key and decrypt my existing files?

Cordially,
TwoHoot

For #1, have you taken a look at freshmeat.net or sourceforge.net? Both provide detailed information and some reviews.

On #3, You can use the GnuPG, a free/open source implementation of public-key crypto using a PGP-compatible system.