I ran into the same problem when I first started with Ubuntu. I was frustrated that I couldn't play/encode MP3's out of the box. The reason is that a default Ubuntu install only has unrestricted open-source software. To install non-free, patent encumbered, binary software or drivers, just enable the other repositories: Restricted, Universe or Multiverse (I forget which one).

I did. Ubuntu 6, DSL,Puppy,Fedora, you name it... I just dont see the benifit form spendng months getting a system running.

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I don't believe it took you months to get Ubuntu, DSL or Puppy to run. No way.