Obviously, since I'm writing this, the install went fine, and basic functionality has been achieved. Due to the installer not liking my laptop's cd drive, I eventually loaded up plain old Ubuntu on a flash drive, as that I didn't have one handy large enough to take the whole Ubuntu Studio distro. Wisdom points towards it being related to jumper settings, but after an hour or so of futzing with it, I gave up. After a while, linux installed, and I followed the Studio help page instructions to upgrade.
I've done all that I can for the day (and have some cheap, nasty whiskey calling my name), so tomorrow I am hoping to compose. My to do list:
a) boot into the real-time kernel. Not sure why it's not loading, but I'll figure it out.
b) get my sound card (e-mu CardBus 1616) working. The crappy on-board sound card works, so I know I have some sound.
c) set up MIDI and audio devices, so I can sequence my synths and record my guitars.
d) get my behringer fader box installed and working. For that matter, my external studio hard drive too.
e) get the appropriate orchestral VST synths working.
f) a quick practice of sequencing, recording, mixing, mastering and making .mp3s so the director can hear my work.
g) if there is still time in the day, compose a cue or two!
With any luck (or more luck than I've had this week), I should be able to get at least that far. When I finish some music, I'll post it, and probably babble more about my transition process as things happen. But I will say this; linux in general is much nicer than the last time i ran it (2002 or so!), so hopefully my experiences composing and recording will be as good too!