then there is no Ubuntu load line. Windows
knows nothing about Ubuntu's being there. Did
Townzher load Ubuntu using the Wubu installer?
I never heard of a Windows startup dual boot option
screen, never knew MS would tolerate any other
OS on the same computer -- unless this Wubi
thing? What happens, exactly, in this situation?
Where does Linux reside? Does Windows see it as
a program to run with an option to do at startup?
Or, does Ubunt become a large file that Windows
doesn't recognize as an executable program?

Reply: Wubi installs from inside Linux, but that is confusing because it no
longer needs Windows after this. What Windows does is set up space on the C:
drive. Instead of partitioning the drive it creates large image files (actually
two root.disk and swap.disk), similar to what happens in a virtual machine,
although there is no virtualisation involved in Wubi.

After Windows establishes this image, Wubi adds the installation files and you
need to re-boot to finish Wubi. At this point the image file is mounted as if it
was a drive in what is called a loop mounted device.It is this ingenious bit of
trickery that makes Wubi unique. Windows is not running and is not needed for
Wubi. Windows only acts like a host location for the image.

Inside the loop mounted device is the complete Linux files structure and for all
appearances it is a complete Linux installation. From Windows all you will see
is one file 8 GBs or larger, depending on how big you create it in the first
place. From inside the file you see everything that you would expect to see.

The Wubi file in Windows is not executable. You can only launch Wubi from the
Windows bootloader which is modified to add the line to load Ubuntu, as the
second choice.

To remove Wubi, you simply uninstall it from the Windows control panel. This
deletes the Wubi file, Ubuntu directory and deletes the line from the
bootloader.

There are scripts that will allow you to transfer Wubi to a full Ubuntu
installation, if you like Wubi enough to use Ubuntu full time for all or part of
your work.

Advantages of Wubi: familiar installation and deinstallation for Windows users,
no partitioning, it works just like the real thing with a couple of exceptions
(see disadvantages)

Disadvantages of Wubi: it is subject to Windows problems such as fragmentation,
it could be destroyed as a result of a crash or virus infection, and hibernation
does not work.

Because the Windows file in the Ubuntu directory is so large, it is more subject
than other files to Windows crashes, so it is a good idea not to use Wubi for
anything essential. From Ubuntu, you can see the Windows file system and can
access files and save files to your Windows desktop or My Documents. From
Windows you cannot move files to your Ubuntu file system.

This is just one more option for Windows users. There are three levels to use
Linux for them. One is inside a running Windows session using a distro such as
TopologiLinux or andLinux; Wubi is the next level because it runs outside of
Windows, but relies on it to host the files; and finally there is a full Linux
installation on another drive, partition, or device such as a CD or usb key.

There are no excuses not to give Linux a try. Nobody can say it is too hard
because of all of the options. Wubi is unique to Canonical distros. You can
install Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu and I think the other *buntus now have it as
well. There is also Lubi (for Linux hosts) and Mubi (Mac hosts) is in the works.
OpenSUSE has a similar project called instlux.

See: http://wubi-installer.org/faq.php
It will answer most of your questions.