Ubuntu bad performance, suggest a Linux distro

[wrpp]

Hi, I have 7 questions here, answer whichever you know plese.

I recently received my Ubuntu 9.0.4 CD from Ubuntu's website.
I installed it and it runs very bad and unstable

My laptop runs vista perfectly after everything is loaded.

My Toshiba L300-13N laptop:
3gb ddr2 PC6400 ram
Core Duo T4200 at 2.0ghz (the same 45nm core T6500 has)
250gb 5400rpm HDD
Intel GMA 4500M (downclocked version of 4500MHD)

My Ubuntu is installed on an ext3 file system which is located at the end of the allocation.(I didn't get better results with ext4 file system). I didn't install any additional software. I have a 3gb swap partition, which is just before the ext3 file system. (I made it for having less physical distance between swap and system files) But Ubuntu doesn't seem to use any of it.

An example of my problem: when I click on "Computer" it takes 5-10 seconds to open it But browsing is OK after opening it.
There are also some slowdowns in Mozilla Firefox.

Ubuntu also uses my CPU way more than Vista does:
Minimum: 7-10 percent (each core). And it raises up when doing simplest things


1. What can be done to make it run smoothly?
It seems that it has the right driver for graphics because I can turn on all effects
2. But Can it be a graphics card driver problem anyway?
edit: I didin't install any drivers yet. Does a general Linux driver work for Ubuntu?
3. How can I simplifise/change Ubuntu's gui?
4. Will it solve the bad performance problem?


Which Linux version would you recommend me for these things:

essentially: Programming (in C generally), Word processing, Web browsing

and maybe:
Watching movies, watching streaming videos.


I'm ok with a simple gui. I want it to boot as quick as possible, and run very smoothly and fast.
(and it must support my hardware, I mean I want to get use of my dual Core CPU, and desirably my graphics card).

6. So which Linux version would you suggest? (as modern as possible)
7. What about Bsd like OSs?

[reed9]

It is likely the graphics card. There are known issues with intel cards in Jaunty.
HOWTO: Jaunty Intel Graphics Performance Guide - Ubuntu Forums

9.04 Release Notes | Ubuntu

Most of these problems are supposed to be resolved with the next release, due out at the end of the month.