First Impressions: Ubuntu 11.10

After about two hours of prep and download time, I've got Ubuntu 11.10 up and running on my old TravelMate 2420; now triple booting Oneiric, Fedora 15, and Windows XP.
After the headaches that 11.04 gave me, I've been a bit hesitant to install the newest version of the distro that introduced me to Linux. The 2420 is not a performance computer, even with the memory maxed out. Onboard graphics and a Celeron M processor really limit this to being a work machine. That said, it will run Office 2010 and Visual C++ Express Edition; and according to MS, has enough oomph to run Windows 7 without the Aero interface.
Installation
I didn't have any blank CDs or USB drives handy, which is another reason I've put off installing. I was eventually able to find instructions for using the contents of the Network Install disc to install from the hard drive, and it was right there in Canonical's online documentation. Not recommended for first-time installers, though; but if you've used Debian's Expert Mode install, you'll feel right at home. The only snag I hit was on the task select screen. Apparently, sometime between the installer being finalized and  now, the task for installing extra fonts has gone bye-bye from the US Mirror.
Since this install method was based on the netinstall CD; I'm gonna warn off anyone with data caps or dial-up. Besides, you'll get a much quicker install from the Live CD; since you don't have to download the system on the fly.
Running
This is where I saw the biggest improvement. The early Ubuntu One integration really slowed down my computer while syncing; whether because of better load handling, better network drivers, or something else, it's not nearly as noticeable in 11.10. I haven't had a chance to test the Atheros wireless drivers; which were a big fail for me with 11.04. The combination of issues really crippled my laptop. Since the issues with the wireless driver were fixed with a kernel update, I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt that it will work, unless it just doesn't.
Aesthetic
Ubuntu has really taken to a darker default color palette in recent releases. It's not a bad thing; but it is noticeable especially coming from the blues of XP and the silvers of GNOME-3 on Fedora.
For me, the launcher/dash/dock on the left doesn't really impress me, but it's not a distraction either. The auto-hide feature is nice, and relieves my biggest concern: screen space. The other thing you'll probably notice right off is the lack of menu bars on your Windows. Mac OS 9 (if I remember correctly) did the same "single menu bar" thing across the top of the page. This will probably take more getting used to just because it isn't used much.
There's also a load of icons and menus in the top right corner; which have some interesting integration: Banshee (the default Music Player) can be accessed through the volume control; Chat and Mail applications tie into the messaging control; and pretty much all of your system settings can be grabbed from the gear in the corner. Also on that gear are options for Suspend, Shutdown, and Hibernate; which are noticeably hidden in GNOME-3.
I do keep coming back to GNOME-3, don't I? It's for a good reason: Unity really split the Gnome community and garnered a lot of hate when it first debuted. Not unfairly, either. As big a change from previous versions as GNOME-3 was; Unity split off and went in a similar, but distinct direction. Personally, I haven't decided which I like more, if either. I have been leaning to GNOME-3, but again, it stems from my problems with the cloud service less than Unity.
Overall Impressions
About the only thing that really bothers me about Oneiric is the "Apps Available for Download". Other than the fact that most are full-fledged programs, I'm not sure why we need to have them on non-admin accounts -- the ones that can't install software through the base interface anyway.
Otherwise, I found it to be user-friendly and usable. The things that your basic user is going to look for are already in the launcher, save for the email client (Thunderbird) which is stuck in a envelope on the top bar. The log-in takes longer than I'd really like, but that may be a function of my older hardware rather than Ubuntu.
Recommendation
If you've got some time, and any interest in Linux or computers in general; there's no reason not to burn a copy of the Live CD and try out Ubuntu.