>> QUESTION 1: What are the chances that installing
  >> *any* Linux distro on this system will go as
  >> smooth as glass and allow me to get right back to
  >> work?

  >> ANSWER 1: 99.999% likely to fail.

  jd> ... Either -> go buy an external USB drive, make
  jd> a complete backup of anything important (just
  jd> back up the whole thing to an image). Or ->buy a
  jd> new drive ...

Ah yes. Many proposed solutions to problems begin with
"go buy". The truth is I'd love to buy a whole big new
system, but can't spare a dollar for a McDonald's ice
cream right now.

  >> QUESTION 2: What are the chances that installing
  >> *any* Linux distro on this system with the
  >> assistance of people at an Installfest will go as
  >> smooth as glass and allow me to get right back to
  >> work?

  >> ANSWER 2: 99.991% likely to fail.

  jd> Wow, you're a pessimistic fellow :) 

Far from it, actually. I tend to be polyannishly
optimistic. That's why I installed RH 8.0, and got
myself locked into an "upgrade" that was inferior to
its predecessor and has left me crippled ever since.

  jd> willing to help you personally to get it done.

Thanks for the offer.

  >> Those odds aren't good enough.

  jd> Your odds are based on speculation.

They're based on 20 years of professional experience
with Unix and Linux systems. But it's been a couple of
years since I've done much along the lines of system
installation, configuration, admin, IT, etc. I used to
do it all the time, but now I spend my time actually
getting real work done, and have forgotten about 50% of
what I knew about building systems. And I don't bother
to keep up with all the differences regarding the
distros. Got no reason to do it.

  jd> Great argument for a second drive. Then you could
  jd> leave it alone until you're done.

Lovely. Even better argument for a new system. You can
only boot off one drive at a time. Life is to short to
spend it watching systems reboot.

  >> I was planning on Debian. Not real familiar with
  >> GenToo, other than I've heard positive things
  >> about it from technically savy people.

  jd> I love Debian, but the installer still sucks. 

That's why I'd like to have it done at an Installfest.
At least there will be someone there who has done it.
After that I can learn to maintain it myself.
						    
Thanks for the encouragement.

-- 
Lynn David Newton
Phoenix, AZ
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