Id say linux is the way to go. it a lot more powerful and you will learn alot more about the way a system should work than if you use windows.
not even microsoft trust there products. they disavowed win ME and i dont think they run there websites on there own servers (dont quote me on that... nmap isnt working right yet so i cant check up on that.....yet)

either way im still a linux fan.
still just waiting for my linux iso to download. takes forever on a 33.6k
really good thing bout linux is that most of that antique hardware, that im sure u must have lying around somewhere, will work perfectly.

l8erz
HacTek