you certainly cannot blame Compaq for spilling the glass of OJ on it, unless of course every other brand has some sort of an OJ guard on it. but then again, I think anything Presario is junk. Armada notebooks are not that bad.
as for choosing an OS, you should remember what you are using it for, not what is the coolest OS out there. what is the best for you? if Windows fills the bill with ease of use, choice of software etc etc then go with that. if you want top end performance with bombproof reliability go with some version of Linux. just remember that each has its drawbacks.
whatever you choose, enjoy.