I was also quite disappointed when I faced the same problem, had to use the live CD to backup my files, and reinstall the entire operating system from scratch on a random weekday when I should have spent those couple hours working.

Aside from that, though, my productivity on Ubuntu is much better than Windows. Workspaces, Gnome Do, the Rhythmbox integration, the ease of installing applications, and centralized updates make the occasional pains and "free" pricetag a great deal. But it's still not at all ready for "prime time" unless the hardware configuration has been thoroughly tested -- the computer I used was one I configured from scratch.