I have to admit to being a happy lad after finally getting a linux-based router and firewall working. Smoothwall. It was a piece of cake to install and setup. I never could get Mandrake to work properly with my ADSL connection. Now if I can just find a cheap 486 or early Pentium box so I can free up the more powerful box I'm using.
The most useful linux forum I've found is the Corel WP Office for Linux newsgroup, but it's focused mostly on problems with the office suite. I understand the frustration with the techies, though...there doesn't seem to be a real end-user focused forum anywhere (particularly for desktop use-the Corel forum is at least of some use there). You have to be at least a hobbiest (as I am--I know just enough to be dangerous) to even begin to understand some of the discussions.
I suppose this is probably one of the barriers to the market for Linux. Mandrake 8.0 installed like a champ on my machine, and some of the bundled software is "way cool," but if you have problems with other applications, tech support is limited to what you can glean off the net for yourself--some of it better than others.