The perfect replacement for Windows?

A few posts back I was trumpeting the arrival of Linux Mint 7 code named "Gloria". I said at the time I felt it was a very good desktop/notebook distro and a real contender for a Windows replacement. I did intend to write a post, for Linux newbies, dedicated to the installation and configuration of Mint such that a complete and fully operational system could be constructed. The good news for me is someone has already done just that so here it is...Linux Mint - constructing the perfect desktop