I spent the weekend tweaking the Ubuntu install on my new laptop and installing Ubuntu on my main desktop. It's very very slick, and unlike Knoppix the power save modes on the monitor actually work. This never really worked on my desktop.
What I need to get going now is my new Iomega Ditto Max drive for backup. It only cost me a fiver, so I'm not too upset if I can't get it going. However, it supposedly works but the documentation for ftape is really crappy.