I think the "For Dummies" series needs to bring out a "For People With Rage Issues" version

Ever wondered how to install Linux on your computer? You have? My, what a wonderful surprise! Now everyone gets to listen to my handy step-by-step guide.

...What, not everyone actually wants to? Fine...the people who want to be educated/informed can click the link, then, and everyone else can just go off and do something more interesting...

Oh good, you're still here. On we go then.

1. Obtain Ubuntu disc. Think about how much fun it will be to have a whole new system to explore.
2. Look at system requirements and realise your computer can't handle it.
3. Wait a month or so until Windows gets SO slow that you need to buy more RAM.
4. Buy more RAM.
5. Install it.
6. Finally put Ubuntu disc in drive, and go through user-friendly install process.
7. Stop hyperventilating after user-friendly install process comes perilously close to deleting all data on your computer.
8. Start up Ubuntu from hard drive, marvelling as you do so at the cool new bootloader that lets you choose between Ubuntu and Windows. Laugh happily as you think how rarely you will be using Windows from now on.
9. Shudder briefly at inexplicable chill of foreboding.
10. Allow veneer of happiness to erode slightly at realisation that Ubuntu won't run your wireless card first go. Or at all under its own steam.
11. Decide that a little exploration into the help files is in order.
12. Decide that the help files are completely useless for anything more complicated than "change the screensaver", and accordingly take laptop downstairs to use wired net connection instead.
13. Spend hours upon hours trying ever more esoteric ways of getting wireless to work. Eventually decide that you've fiddled with enough settings, it's time to reboot and see what they've done.
14. Stare at screen with comprehension slowly dawning and turning into sheer blind anger as you realise that Ubuntu now won't work at all. Go to sleep in disgust.
15. After working on Windows machines in the lab all day, decide that Ubuntu's got to be worth another shot.
16. Install Ubuntu to the hard drive for the second time in as many days.
17. Try various settings with entirely new driver files you found somewhere on the Internet.
18. Reboot, and gaze with awe and wonder as the little green lights on your wireless card proclaim to the world that We Have Established Communication With The Internet.
19. Celebrate new Internet connectivity by downloading shiny new graphical effects modules.
20. Forget about the fact that shiny new graphical modules require some quite important tinkering with very basic graphics settings.
21. Accidentally break said settings, apparently convincing your computer that it no longer has a screen. (No, really, that's what it said.)
22. Realise that your lack of skills with the Linux command line means you have absolutely no idea how to change the graphics settings back to where they were unless you have access to graphics. The irony of it.
23. Grit your teeth and install Ubuntu to the hard drive for the third time in two days.
24. Go through entire process of making wireless card work again, forgetting a key element half way through and accidentally making only half your computer believe that it has a wireless card installed.
25. Fix problem, vow never to install anything remotely difficult on computer ever again, and go and post vindictive opinions on Blogger.