Re: johnvanvliet's reply (Captain Beefheart anybody?).

I totally disagree. I have been running CentOS (and now Scientific Linux) for 4 years, doing a LOT of audio and video production and playing. Yes, getting everything right is sometimes not trivial (much easier with 6.x), but I have never had a problem with it making the system go fubar. I run VLC and Kaffeine extensively, along with Audacity and Cinelerra without problems. This is the system I use daily for a lot of heavy lifting - 64bit, 8 cores, 8GB, 15+TB disc, 1 or more virtual machines running, audio streaming, hard-core development work such as kernel drivers, network and embedded systems, debugging (both local and cross-platform on an ARM development board), and the usual business applications a consultant needs (time tracking, billing, word processing). The system only goes down when I have to install a new kernel or updated nVidia video driver.

FWIW, right now I have a Windows XP VM running, vlc streaming local npr jazz station, kaffeine running (paused) a video, chrome browser, system monitor, command line terminal, and the usual assortment of tools and utilities - a light load for me. No glitches whatsoever. Everything is patched up-to-date.

Dang, Rubberman your hardcore. Go Rubberman! haha

320MB boot/system disc
2TB internal array (4x500gb)
3 external arrays (2TB, 6TB, 8TB) - two of which are RAID-5 arrays, so have 1.5 and 4.5 TB of real storage.
1 LAN-attached NAS (2TB)
2x1.5TB backup discs in external esata carrier.

So, I guess that right now I have over 20TB of online storage... :-)

If nothing else works, refer to my post in the ubuntu forums regarding playing DVDs and everything else after you install ubuntu or what I would recommend, Kubuntu.

Matthew, You may want to consider trying Fedora, which is a more often used desktop spin off of Red Hat that is actually supported by Red Hat. GoinEasy9 can tell you everything you need to know about Fedora.

CentOS is great too, but unless your actually going to be using it as a server, or plan on it in the future. Fedora would be a good start from Ubuntu.

I only recommend this because that's what most people seem to do, including myself. I don't personally have experience with CentOS, but I do with Fedora and Ubuntu. Give it a try see if you like it maybe.