wifi,using 3 mobile broadband and in oz and downloads help

Got a few questions hope i posted right place.

Got myself the Acer Aspire One A150L / Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz / 512MB / 120GB / 8.9" / Linux / NetBook the other day not looked to see what installed in linux and not ever used that before,as i am used to usng xp what is missing that xp has.
Also im sure i read that many microsoft programmes cant work with linux like what? msn/hotmail etc?
Is there some handy usefull programmes i can add to this notebook that will come in handy or make it possible to use certain programmes.
One i would want to be using is msn,maybe aol im.
I would also be looking to add lots of music and maybe some vids etc so again any handy programmes i can add to the notebook,anyothers would be good to know as well.
If i can add some programmes,whats the best way to do such thing put them onto a usb stick and then transfer that way.
Any advise would be great,i am going to use this notebook from time to time in the uk but also on a trip to australia so want to get it all set up and ready before then.

I have also just got myself the 3 mobile payg broadband dongle modem can someone tell me does this work in australia t no extra costs?as im sure i read before getting it on there site etc that if using it i another country using there sister companies then its at no extra costs,but any places that its used thats not got three then roaming charges are charged,whats the truth behind this as the other reason of getting this was so i can use this i jan in australia on a trip,is there something i should do to set this up before or when i get there and also what is the signal like etc from western australia etc.

Also im trying to get this to conect to my router thats set up with my main computer so i can use it wireless around the house,but cant seem to get it to work,it cant seem to find it,whats the set up or requirement to get this to work i use aol and that netgear modem they gave some years back and i have my network name which it find ok but asks for a password,i tried entering my network password and also tried putting in the wep128 key number but still comes up with nothing.This is not the only laptop i have had this issue with,the one i am using now i have wifi in that too and i cant get it to connect to my main computer with the info,but when plugging a netgear usb adaptor i can get it to connect,but really a laptop with wifi should not need this,i not plugged the netgear usb plug into my acer notebook yet,as should this not be required.why cant my laptop and this acr notebook not find them am i doing something wrong.

Also as this is linux is it recommended or not to install windows xp,i hear that its not a good idea and i have read that many have done just that can anyone give advise on this,i not used linux before and still to see how it work,but have always found xp in both main computer and laptop good to use,if it was ok and was recommended to install it,does this mean i need to buy a new copy,or if i have a copy from say another computer can i use that and how do you do just that as its on cd.

When downloading programmes to install on the acer notebook,can this be done on a usb stick and transfered over like that.

Hope i got all covered

 

anyone know the answers to the post?

 

I bought a 3 dongle as I was spending 5 weeks in Oz last summer visiting all the major cities. Like you I could not get a straight (or consistent) answer from 3 themselves about whether I would be charged or not. I had my old XP laptop with me.
The bottom line is that you can indeed use the dongle for 'free' on the 3 service but there are 2 important points.
1. You need to be on a contract with the dongle for it to be free in Australia (this is unlike all the other '3 Like Home' countries). You cannot be on PAYG.
2. Remember to get the device activated for international roaming before leaving the UK. It hadn't crossed my mind, which meant I had a 30 minute call to the UK to get it working.
I found reception in every city to be absolutely fine (by mobile broadband standards) and even used it for VoIP (great at my end, not so good at the other end due to a slowing upload speed). The connection process took longer to 'authenticate' than in the UK but had no problems once connected. You can look up the 3 Oz website to get their broadband coverage.
All in all it saved me a small fortune in hotel internet charges and calls back home and was extremely convenient in other locations such as airports. I've even been to Rome since and it worked there.
A lot of people knock 3, but this feature of theirs (and allowing VoIP) is streets ahead of the competition.
Best of luck.