[PLUG] Migrating from WinXP Pro to Ubuntu 10.10

[Richard Owlett]

I suspect some answers are on www.pdxlinux.org, but I'm getting 
timeout errors.

I'm a senior citizen migrating to *nix whose last formal course 
work used 026's and line printers for I/O. My personal systems 
have progressed from CPM80 (Digital Research) thru Win 3.1 to 
WinXP Pro. Some of my personal preferences are shaped by that.

I have Ubuntu 10.10 up and running in test mode from a USB drive.

My first impression is that the default installation suffers from 
the same problems as Windows - trying to be "all things to all 
people" while NOT supplying some specific tools that I want.

Question 1.
While keeping the default configuration available, can I have a 
massively pruned configuration be my typical boot?

Question 2.
While browsing files available thru the default desktop, one 
seemed to say that internet access via an external RS-232 dial up 
modem was not available with standard drivers. BUT when browsing 
the descriptions of installed software it appeared that pppcfg 
(IIRC) handled that. I'm confused.

Question 2a.
I didn't spot any reference to firewalls or ant-virus tools. Is 
that accomplished in a different manner in the Linux world?

Question 3.
I wish to end up with
GUI         - exists
Open Office - exists
Tcl/Tk      - have appropriate executables on CD?
Scilab/SciosLab - will have to download
SeaMonkey   - have strong preference for the suite approach
dial-up access with firewall and virus protection - *HOW* ?

I'll leave the games,and sound/movie players as they will be 
occasional used and see minimal benefit to removing them.

Suggestions?
Am I on the appropriate list?
Recommended sites other than www.pdxlinux.org?
What are productive Google search terms?

Thank you.