As much as I love Linux, my vote goes for 9.1.

I'm getting old and just want my computers to work with minimal fuss.

I don't really use OS 9 for browsing on an extended basis, just a few sites here and there. I mainly use it for writing and retro gaming, which OS 9 does very well for me.

Last time I tried Ubuntu on my iBook, it was, well, unpleasant to say the least.