Installed Ubuntu 8.10 on a very old machine

Tried to install Windows, from XP, 2000 to 98 scores of times, either not loading the boot-up compact disc, or showed me blue screen after copied all the files, the message said: in order to protect your computer from being damaged, the installation is stopped, please report this blah blah blah … typical Microsoft way.
 
Downloaded Ubuntu 8.10 in the weekend before, tried to install last Saturday, it ran very smoothly, although there was a error message about the hard disk, then it went back to the partition screen, and continued until the installation was completed.  It’s working fine, although little bit choppy, a machine below 1GHz, would I expect more as long as it can download something while I am sleeping and working?
 
First time heard Ubuntu was last year when a collegue showed me his new Asus Eee PC.  I haven’t touched Linux since the dot-com bubble time, now it’s time to pick up.