Depends what you are wanting to do on your notebook.
Personally windows last all of 1 boot and a 5 min play before linux got fired onto the machine.
And it really does rock on my aspire.
If you are worried about loosing functions there are web pages out there that will walk you through installing virtually everything you get on a windows machine. The only thing you won't really be able to do is play games although I do have the old BBC game elite on mine with a thumb joystick running on a emulator.
O aye and it reduces your chances of getting a virus as well to nearly zero.
O and I don't have a problem with my DVD writer which is a cheapo LG thing