On the video card note...make sure you are running XFree86 4.0.1 and get the stuff from nVidia.com. I have a TNT2 and it works just peachy in Linux (probably not as fast as it might do 3D in Windows but I haven't tested it).

Cron is a command schedular. Basically, it makes task happen at certain times. It could be that cron happened to start up a task that slowed your system down...I didn't even think of that possiblity.

About XMMS...the equalizer really does suck doesn't it...I run my computer through my home stereo system so I don't really need it but I know exactly what you mean. I haven't experienced any stuttering though, but I guess I don't minimize it much, I usually just throw it in another desktop pane.

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My box said "WindowsME/2000 or better" so I installed Linux.