[Hampshire] Ubuntu is not ready for (my) Desktop

This is not a rant but a report on the problems I've had trying to
get a current version of Ubuntu onto tried and tested hardware.
The system is pretty bog standard if a bit long in the tooth.

A Celeron 633 partnered with a Matrox G400 and a Taxan CV680 TCO99-2
flat screen monitor. It works perfectly with Debian sarge upgraded to
testing, upgraded to Sid.

It also works with Ubuntu 6.06 LTS but not with anything more
recent.

I upgraded the Debian way by editing /etc/apt/sources.list then
aptitude update && aptitude dist-upgrade and failed to get X working.
I then re-installed 6.06 and tried the Ubuntu way using the command
gksu “update-manager -c ”

Again X doesn't load. Similarly trying a Live 6.10 CD and a Feisty CD
I get the same problem with the error message "Out of Scan Range" as
soon as it tries to load X

I have tried tweaking xorg.con manually but nothing seems to solve
this. I found lots of references to this fault on Ubuntu forums but
no solutions.

Why am I bothering I hear some of you ask, knowing my antagonism
towards this distro. Well I want to get my wife at least playing
with a Linux system and 'everybody' seems to be saying Ubuntu is for
the newcomer from windows.

But since it doesn't work for me on this hardware I am going to
forget Ubuntu and go back to a customised Debian Testing plus Gnome.

One thing I did notice from playing with U-u 6.06 is that it seems to
install far too much software, stuff that will never be used like all
those weird and wonderful fonts. At least I can control what is
installed with Debian

So ends my attempt to use Ubuntu. It has taken me two days of
experimenting to confirm my dislike of it.

--
John Lewis
Debian Linux with Geneweb genealogy application