[tlug] newbie notebook question

[John Carthew <jacarthew@example.com>]

Dear TLUG,

I am a linux newbie. sorry to crash in on your mailing list!

Are you able to give me some advice please?

I would like to install linux on my notebook PC. I dont have any linux 
experience, but am willing to learn! Can you advise of a linux distro 
that is new-user friendly and notebook friendly? - for example, my 
notebook's screen brightness control is software driven.

I have done some research online, reading your website and various 
others about linux distros and migrating to linux, linux on notebook pc 
and more. some of these websites advised contacting a nearby linux user 
group for distro advice :-) ! I have also tried a few live CDs: mandrake 
move, knoppix, suse 9.2.

I live in Japan. My notebook is Japanese: Toshiba Dynabook TX/2515LDSW
I bought it recently and am currently running Japanese version Windows XP.

I want to dual boot with my existing Windows XP. I want the Linux OS to 
be in English, but I would also like to be able to read and write in 
Japanese. My requirements are normal home user only and I am happy to 
pay for a commercial distribution if you advise that.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Cheers,
John