ubuntu 8.* on Dell E-series laptops (32 and 64 bit)

[=JeffH]

Has anyone loaded up 8.04 and/or 8.10 (32 and/or 64 bit) on a Dell E-series 
(6500 specifically) ?   If so are there any gotchas (like with peripherials 
such as audio, video drivers, touchpad, etc)?

There's various griping about that machine in the forums at Dell wrt Windows on 
it, sounds like some audio driver and/or settings issues, plus hardware 
(mis)features. (however, the machine supports > 4 gig memory and has fast bus, 
and so is of interest to me).

(I got to look at a colleagues' E6400 this morning and don't think the case is 
all that "cheap" as some on dell forums are claiming, but the guy hasn't had 
his all that long either)

thanks,

=JeffH