Think I'm starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. Instead of attempting to actually install Linux anywhere on my netbook (which I never did feel quite easy about after what that Samsung tecchie told me, compounded by my inability to fully grasp the implications of the comments following it) I'm going to use this sterile-environment CD method. It sounds like a Godsend (or, rather, a Johnsend).

To this end - and for the benefit of other newbies like myself - it's worth highlighting a sub-link in John's article, which says:
Krebs recently posted a full set of instructions for creating a live CD on his blog, which is well worth reading for anyone interested in computer security.

http://krebsonsecurity.com/2012/07/banking-on-a-live-cd/

The third-party software which one needs for burning bootable images to disc can be found here:

http://www.freeisoburner.com/


So I have now ordered an external USB-powered CD drive (made by Samsung, as it happens) to use as a secure boot-up drive for Ubuntu - which I presume I can run by hitting F9 during the splash screen. Haven't been able to try that yet, but surely if it boots from USB it should recognise it? And - of course - it brings me to more questions, I hope fairly simple ones.

I read in one of the linked articles that a write-protected USB memory stick is not as secure (presumably because any protection that can be switched on can also be switched off again) and this is why I've ordered the external CD drive. But I want to save web pages with regard to my banking, so:

- Can I insert a blank memory stick in one of the other USB ports and save to that?

- Is a newly-formatted memory stick without any other software on it, which is removed the moment I've finished saving to it and used for nothing else, safe from malware?

- Can/Should I unplug the CD drive after I've booted, or doesn't it matter? I presume that since it's protected it means I can't save the web pages to this CD.

- Which browser is the best to use? The Ubunti (yes, I know that's a Latin plural on an African word but I like it) that I've seen all come pre-installed with Firefox, so I presume it's the one to go for. Could I download another browser even if I wanted to? I bet not, but I'll leave the question stand in case it draws any relevant comments.

- What (if anything) do I do about Ubuntu's firewall & other security-ware?