For example....

I downloaded BackTrack 3 and ran the Live CD just fine. It detects my USB
wireless card and everything.

So, I wanted to make a more permanent installation of BackTrack 3 to run
when I wanted and to use it to learn more about Linux in general.

I followed directions on creating the vmware virtual machine manually (to
override the SCSI disk in favor of IDE) and I launched the new VM using the
ISO as my CD drive and allowing the VM to boot into the live BackTrack 3 CD.

Once in, I created 2 partitions (hda1 and hda2) to use for my BackTrack 3
install and swap files, and I ran mkfs.ext3, mkswap, mkdir and mount to
create my environment and prepare for install.

I then ran the BackTrack 3 install (which does state that it has not been
tested - although the current version came out in December of 2007).

But, when I rebooted, instead of simply launching the way the Live CD did, I
now get a red box asking me what OS to load (only BackTrack is shown) and I
have to log in with root/toor and launch the kde graphical desktop manually.

None of that bothers me.

But, what does bother me is that the vmware installed version will not see
my USB wireless device when the live cd version sees it just fine. WTF?

I've spent 7 hours with this distro - trying to get it into a VM so that I
could actually save things to the drive and use it as a desktop and I'm no
closer now than I was 7 hours ago.

THIS is why Windows has such a great following. Is Windows insecure? Yes.
Is Windows bloated and slow (esp. Vista)? Yes. But, can you get things to
work in Windows faster and easier than in Linux? HELL YES!!

I want to like Linux. I really do. But, I find it a lot like driving a
car. If I had to work on my car as much as I have had to work on Linux
distros that I have tried and I got as much out of it as I have gotten out
of them I'd walk and get there faster.

jim