have you seen ubuntu / kubuntu linux.
www.kubuntu.com
www.ubuntu.com
Made by a south african billionaire who was the first tourist in OUTER
SPACE.
Installs networking out of the box.
I have installed Google Earth on it and Skype too.
And you have no problems with root on kubuntu linux
because the root comes much later.
The first user gets only "sudo" permissions
and you just say
sudo dpkg -i pkgname.deb (deb means it ends in debian)
for installing virtual box after downloading it.
On top of virtual box you run Windows XP which gives you Microsoft
Office and all the legacy programs.
Erach