What can I really do with Ubuntu? And how?

I have said in other threads that I have only just recently installed Ubuntu in my son's laptop, and most recently in one of the comps for my mod DoubleTrouble but the only real things I have done with it are to play mahjong and surf the net using firefox. I admit it REALLY helped my son's laptop boot up faster ( 1 minute vs 12 with XP) and I Know that Linux is a very powerful language, I just don't know how to take advantage of it.
Eventually I want to create my own 3-d desktop using some form of linux but as before I don't have the foggiest idea where to start. Any pointers?

Wow you want to create your own 3d desktop. That is quite complicated to do. Maybe you could start of with modyfing the current gnome desktop. Just do a google search. If you want to fully customize your own window manger you can play around with FVWM. If you wanna just grab a 3d environment try Compiz fusion

I was going to say beryl for your 3d desktop, but it looks like compiz fusion has that.

It depends on what you want to do with your linux distro. You could get wine and do some windows stuff on it. You can find apps that let you use your IM. I'm sure you could find some good video conferencing stuff. There are many applications that you can use. You just have too look.

Edit- look HERE for just the start of some (mostly free) linux equivalent programs for windows ones

thanks for the tips guys I will look into that compiz fusion. I know I wasn't really specific about what I wanted to do , and thats because I have a billion things I would like to do floating around in my head and I need to decide what to do first and what I will probably never get around to. But thanks for the pointers!

When I first switched to Linux, I made a list of things I wanted to be able to do with Linux right away. This helped focus my learning curve. I run Linux only on all my computers at home.

Hello

For any apps just use repositories - ADD/Remove Applications - Grouped by type. Every app is described.

If you want to download or search other apps go to:
getdeb.net < mainly for Ubuntu with Gnome ( standard ubuntu shipped to you or downloaded from website)
kde-apps.org < for Ubuntu with KDE ( Kubuntu)
linuxsoft.cz/en

It realy depends what you do under Windows.
There are plenty of similar apps on Linux.

AFAIR
compiz fusion = emerald + beryl.

And Still
Linux is not the best choice to play on.
But if you realy want - why not.
CoD4 runs under Wine( but without support for punkbuster :/).
U3 ported to Linux is in development.

If you want to see some sweet Ubuntu setups go to ubuntuforums > caffe comunity > [sticky] may desktops (or smth ;))

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What can I really do with Ubuntu? And how?

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You can do just about everything you did with windows plus a pile more. After a while of using linux you will just be plain bored if you go back to windows.
You should spend a day just playing around with the command line, google linux commands and see what you get :D
But the sky really is the limit.