Okay guys, I'd been sitting around mucking with my old Ubuntu 7.04 laptop and here's what I've done in the last 6 hours:
1) Compiz Fusion with my binary ATI Driver. Lappy looks sweet...
2) Buttload of apps and full system update. I now have EVERY app I ever could have wanted installed. List is too big.
3) Fully customized...I raided gnome-look.org and did it up so that its fully pimped out now. Still have to get some stuff for gDesklets though...
4) This is a big one...FULL SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH WINDOWS through VIRTUALBOX!!! I have the windows start bar as my bottom panel and ubuntu app launcher as my top panel!! I'm sure most guys here know what I'm talking about...its the holy grail of virtualisation! And I've done it! A complete noob that I am! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!
All of this in one night's work...none of this would have worked on another distro...atleast for someone as inexperienced as me. No doubt, almost all other distros have this functionality, but lets face it. Ubuntu's excellent documentation and community support make all this possible.
Why did I spam so much in this post?? To convince you, my dear OP, to just close your eyes and go for Ubuntu. Its the best.