[rob05c]

> I came from Arch Linux to OSX. I find the tight integration between hardware and software...

I just went the other direction :). I agree, the hardware/driver issues are a pain. If you're using a desktop without wireless, you probably won't have issues. If you pick Ubuntu, any issues usually aren't too hard to fix.

If you're trying to install something like FreeBSD on a laptop with a non-broadcom card? God have mercy on your soul :(

That said, once you fix the issues, they're usually fixed for good. It's just the matter of the week of banging your head against the wall to figure it out. Relevant: http://xkcd.com/979/

[epsylon]

> If you pick Ubuntu, any issues usually aren't too hard to fix.

I've tried various distros on my laptop (Thinkpad W500) but I was seriously impressed when Ubuntu had everything working (including WiFi and ACPI key bindings) out of the box.

[jzelinskie]

Thinkpads have been officially Ubuntu certified for years now. They are probably the best laptop you can buy for GNU/Linux that doesn't have it already pre-installed.

[ciclista]

Check out Linux Mint as well, I've been using it as my main distro for some months now. It's based on Ubuntu, but very clean and easy.

[PLejeck]

As a fellow OSX -> Arch person, I feel your pain. The experience of making Broadcom function is enough to drive a man insane.