What laptop to get to replace my 15" macbook?

[Josef Lowder]

Based on the very positive and enthusiastic comments from so many
people (including several of my good plug friends), I recently
purchased a 15" Macbook, thinking that it might be "the way to go."

While the Mac is a very appealing product in many ways with many
outstanding features, I have finally come to the conclusion that the
disadvantages (to me) far outweigh the positives.  So I am now
thinking of selling it and looking for something more sensible in the
real world.  Therefore, once again, I am seeking input from the
collective wisdom of this esteemed group.

The simple, but (to me) major drawbacks of the Mac (not to mention
their proprietary impositions that seem to be even worse than M$), are
as follows:

1. The keyboard layout that forces that screwy Mac/Apple X key on
users in lieu of simply using the CTRL key ... and then positioning
that weird mac key in such a terribly awkward place.

2. Putting the "FN" key where the "CTRL" key should be (and is on
every other computer keyboard) is really stupid.  Bottom-farthest left
is the *only* place (from an anatomically logical standpoint) where
the CTRL key should be (imho).

3. Failure to totally eliminate the "caps-lock" key (of course I guess
all keyboard mfrs still remain guilty of this ridiculous failing, at
this point).  However, I seem to accidentally hit it more on the mac
than on my other keyboards ... I guess because on the mac it seems to
be slightly oversized.  Why?  Duh!

4. The absolutely ridiculous limitation of being forced to the bottom
right corner of every window as the *only* way to resize windows.
That might be the most stupid of all Mac contrary-to-all-common-sense
"features."  And apparently no way that I can find to "maximize" a
window.

5. The needlessly glitzy but cumbersome "dock."

6. The lack of a simple text editor ... one that doesn't force the use
of html or rtf.

7. Most of the *nix command-line commands and utilities that I am used
to using do not seem to work on Mac OS-X

8. While I like the slot drive rather than a DVD drive that slides
open, I do (not) like having it on the front. Has that changed on
newer models?

9. And as for being "intuitive" ... I've tried for a week to get the
hang of using a Mac and almost everything that I am used to doing on
my "normal" computers, I find almost impossible to figure out on a
mac.  The 529-page "How to do everything Mac" doesn't ... and if mac
is so "intuitive" why should it need a 529-page book to explain how to
use it?

In any case, I am now looking for a new (or used) laptop to replace
this mac and get back to the real world.

One that intrigues me is a new, single-core, lower-powered Asus that
claims to have 8+ hours of battery life.  It is also the only one I
have seen so far that has lighted keys (the letters light up on the
keys like the mac -- one of mac's truly great features).  That seems
to me to be a very desirable feature.  Only problem is that that
feature seems to be available only in a larger format Asus unit with a
number keypad (that I do not want).

So what do y'all recommend?

I like the slot drive (on the right side), built-in camera, lighted
keys, lightest and thinnest possible, a "normal" keyboard (no 10-
pad), at least a 15" screen, preferrably matte not glossy, and long
battery life. I want to install Linux as the base OS and use whatever
virtual ware will allow me to install win98 (I do *not* want the
all-intrusive, pop-up crazy winXP).

PS: Anyone interested in trading for or buying a 15" macbook with 4-gig of ram?