installation of Ubuntu Linux 11.4 Beta 2 onto a lenovo R61i laptop
 

Can anyone tell me some background of this os. I have worked with other linux programs and flavors but not this one and have researched it and found there are some tweaking to do to it after installing it. Would love to know any helpful hints before I install it. Goal date is this weekend. Thank you ahead of time.

ubuntu shouldn't require too much tweeking. I'd say it's a really easy distro, good for beginners, etc.
Pretty much every results from the first page of this search might give you some good suggestions: http://www.google.co.uk/search?sclie...talling+ubuntu
Also ubuntu has some documentation
official: https://help.ubuntu.com/10.10/index.html
and community developed: https://help.ubuntu.com/10.10/index.html
I'd like to think that it's a good idea to, when starting with a new distro, just put aside 30 minutes for reading their documentation. Not all of it, just the installation/beginner/into/basics stuff then each topic that you personally care about.

this too https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...5/#post1899440

Beta software is not really intended for beginners. I would stay away unless you actually intend to help developers with bugs...

Then what os system would work for a small business and I am not a beginner with linux. I dont want to spend alot of time with debugging but want a stable os. Any suggestions. And yes thank u for the links i do research all areas of os systems b4 going forward. I make sure that is the one i want. Thank u all for all the advise.

Rule #1: If you need stability, stay away from beta software.

I'm a fan of CentOS for enterprise/server situations, the latest version is CentOS-5. CentOS is basically RedHat Enterprise Linux with the RedHat branding removed. Ubuntu is a good Desktop Linux.

Can you provide more details as to what you plan on doing with the machine?

My laptop will b used for every asspect of business. You name it- it will be on there. Crafts is what im making. I will also be using it to develop the future web sites. I dont think i will b using it to be a server tho. It will have to have protection for security purposes.

Sound like a perfect use for Ubuntu.