Ubuntu 10.04 Try

Wubi 9.10 worked fine to install Ubuntu 10.04
Run System Admin Update Manager.
Set appearance to advanced and let it look for video driver.
Click on an MP3 and Ubuntu will search out the codex pack to install.
Install Flash 10 through Ubuntu Software Center and Firefox will play embedded YouTube. (Thank Heavan)
They put the "close window" x on the left. (mind bending)
Installed these Firefox extensions:
Adblock Plus
BBCodeXtra
Evernote Web Clipper
Greasemonkey
LastPass
QuickDrag
ScribeFire
What the hey, Gimp is gone?
Future ScanSnap S510 install maybe: http://gscan2pdf.sourceforge.net/ and here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=7391379&postcount=7
No Printer tried yet.
Installed Shutter for screen clips and edit/upload. http://shutter-project.org/faq-help/ppa-installation-guide/
Example clip here:

Installed Wine and tried a couple screen capture and writing programs. Unimpressed. Can't save/write anything to disk.
CPU usage is 25 ot 45 percent both cores at idle.
Here is a shot with every process sleeping but System Monitor:

Not familiar enough with Linux to know what the problem is. First guess would be Compiz but only a guess. Makes you admire Windows.
Activated the sensors with sudo sensors-detect
Holy cow I am running +74C on both cores!
Can't seem to get a visual for LM-Sensor to work.
I turned off visual effects and it helped.

Here is a typical Win7 on the same laptop:

Some say uninstalling Compiz will help with the temps.

Ubuntu works but Windows is better, no surprise. The heat is a big issue on my laptop and I would have to get that fixed somehow. But I will end up back in Windows anyway so no biggie.