[Chester LUG] Linux on an ASUS?

[mark_kh at tiscali.co.uk]

hi folks

Some years ago I went along to a few of your Linux meetings in Chester, but 
haven't been for quite a while.  When I attended, I brought along my (then) new 
ASUS901, but there really wasn't any opportunity to do anything with it.  Since 
then, it has been getting more and more painful to use.  A friend who also has 
an ASUS says the installed operating system is rubbish and had a proper version 
of Linux installed, with the result that hers now works much better.  
Unfortunately, she now lives in France, so can't help me much.  I've looked at 
a few web sites describing how to install Linux and they talk of creating a 
bootable disk on an existing Linux sysstem.  As I don't have one, I'm not sure 
how to proceed.  My friend said that her system was loaded from a USB stick.

Question is; has someone in the local Linux group already done this and could 
I avail myself of the service?  I'm afraid I've no experience using Linux 
(apart from the bowdlerised version on the ASUS) so need guidance.  I'm not 
sure I'd be able to do it myself, unless there were very comprehensive 
instructions.

thanks in anticipation
Mark