I think you will have no problem doing basic operations such as write documents, navigate the web, ecc.

if you want to install softwares or use hardwares or some not-default configurations, you have to get at least a wiki (really not so difficult).

Linux distributions on netbook are very userfriendly and use very intuitive interfaces.

no, just use samba. create a share folder and that is all.

Open Office is a free equivalent of MS Office for Linux. It can save files as MS Word documents. Make sure you select “Save as” option and choose “Microsoft Word 97/200/XP (.doc)” format for your file. It’s as easy as that.

you will have no problem using Openoffice on linux, and the transferring it to windows.
The only problem you may run into is going from windows to linux.
This is due to microsoft’s closed-source policy.
If everyone would go to linux…. The internet world would be a more reliable,safer place.

The operating system that you’re writing the document on doesn’t necessarily matter. You just have to make sure that you’re using the same file type on both systems.

If you are going to buy a Linux netbook I recommend buying one of the ones with Ubuntu Linux, such as dells or hp’s. The Linux shipped on the eeepc is quite unpopular, and does not represent what Linux is capable of. (although you can reinstall another distribution on it)

HP Mini 110 Mi $279
http://dwarfurl.com/9461b

Dell Mini 10v $299
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dncwfa2&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19

Linux has many of the same programs you may be use to: Firefox, OpenOffice.org, pidgin, which interoperate well.

Once you get use to Linux you wont want to go back