Day 2 - linuxmint-17-cinnamon-dvd-32bit.
Easy-squeazy.
Same as before, I installed from usb. Same as before, I got bored waiting for the language-packs to download, so I skipped them. Different from before, once the whole thing was up and running I tried screwing around with software. Thus began the nightmare, no more nightmarish than setting up any other new system, but made so-o-o much worse by China being China. You see, I wanted to install Chrome.
Now, Chrome being Chrome, it's available only from the anti-leftist capitalist roaders, Google. Like any running dog, I'd have to Vigorously Pound my Nuts if I wanted to espouse universal values and/or download Chrome. I discovered the set up process for Vigorously Pounding Nuts was not unlike vigorously pounding my nuts: it hurt, it took a long time, but eventually, well eventually, I "made a connection". Reached Nirvana if you will. You see, the service that would pound my nuts for me does have a really easy set up method for Linux Mint. It's very nearly built in to the OS. You just enter values and change a few settings and viola, a really, really slow pptp connection of limited functionality. If this weren't China, it'd probably be fast and functional. But this is China.
So, long story short, I gave in and tried the relatively more complex set up method meant for Ubuntu, which involved using the software installer and, Lord help me, Terminal commands. It worked though. The end result was a connection more like I was used to on my Windows 7 machine and soon enough, it produced a downloaded Chrome installer. (Which crapped out at the end but thankfully gave me easy-to-follow instructions on what to do next: "sudo apt-get install -f", whatever that is.)
Right now my new Linux Mint laptop (aka "my old XP laptop") is sitting in the corner taking a very long time "Applying changes..." As far as I know, those changes will result in the laptop using a card-specific driver for the graphics display, and everything will be wonderful.
Tune in tomorrow for: Ice Packs and Comfortable Cushions.