As I alluded to earlier, my programming skills are not as good as they should be. For whatever reason I have a hard time becoming intuitive with the syntax of most programming I have tried/been forced to try.
The only thing I can do well is programming for process controls, but that isn't real programming nowadays. It only requires minor VB script work, and using prepackaged modules built into the controller software. Sorry, I digress.
Installing linux on my laptop intimidates me, and I am willing to give Microsoft a chance to redeem themselves from the mistake Vista (apparently) was. When/if I build, or have a desktop built, I will probably try Linux. That way if I make a major mistake I have a laptop I can use to search the interwebs to fix it.
Also I bought a thinkpad, because of the software packages IBM wrote for it. It would dumb to get the thinkpad for software, just to install linux which may not be compatible with the software.