New Linux user, as per, advice for Linpus would be much appreciated :]

[BeckyAndTheJets]

As you probably can tell, I'm new to the forums AND to Linux. I feel slightly bad abusing your almighty powers of advice and not giving any in return but I wouldn't be much use ;]

Basically, I was given funding by the OU to get myself a laptop so I could work in bed (hello chronic illness) and settled on an Acer Aspire One as a computer friend assured me I'd be fine with Linux (he was right to a certain degree). Anyways, I'm sure you've heard this kind of story a million times so I digress...I had a technician from the OU come round the other day to help install some software on ym main (Windows) PC and he was asking a bit about my little laptop. Yadda yadda yadda, he mentioned changing which distro I use. However I stupidly didn't make much note of what he was saying, and this is where the help is needed!

Obviously, a quick google search screamed Ubuntu at me, but the only problem is I have no CD/DVD drive on my tiny laptop, only a USB drive. Similarly, I tried downloaded bit torrent to get it from there and couldn't get my head around it.

I'd be really grateful for any help or advice so thanks in advance.

Also, if anyone has any recommendations for distro's, they'd be welcome too.

[reed9]

You can install linux onto a flash drive to boot from, and/or install onto your netbook from.
Boot and run Linux from a USB flash memory stick | USB Pen Drive Linux
UNetbootin - Homepage and Downloads

Ubuntu is a great distro to begin with. There's a reason it's so popular! A number of distros have been developing netbook specific versions, any of which would be good. Here is one Ubuntu version https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UNR

[arochester]

There are various Ubuntu netbook installs. Straight Ubuntu, Ubuntu Netbook Remix, Easy Peasy Ubuntu.

If you have downloaded an ISO, also install the program UNetbootin. This will enable you to write the ISO to a USB stick. Make sure that the BIOS is set to boot from USB first - and reboot...