This really resonates with me. Slackware 96 was the thing that started me on the road to living MS free. I will never forget the feeling as i watched my first slackware install boot. Power, control, enablement - all that but more importantly computers got fun again. Today i run redhat at work, 'cause the government think redhat=linux, i run ubuntu on the desktop 'cause i just want something that works, but i run slackware when i need it to be buttoned down, or when i just want to play and have fun. so - thanks Patrick! you probably got more linux people started than you will ever know! i think i will install 13.1 this weekend just for the sheer fun of playing again.

use http://www.astaro.com/
  - either the appliance (i have not used the appliance yet) or download the software (version 7 has the best features) and use it on a spare computer. i use it at home and work and love it.
specifically re: spam -
I agree with philosophy of earlier poster - gotta take a multi-layer approach, a good firewall / proxy like astaro is just one link.

astaro lets you set up pop and smtp proxies so you can check with their rules and filters (updated daily) and or your own, plus users get a daily quarantine digest so if something is being held they will know and it can be released (but only by and administrator - so you get to be in the loop if they want the email) - plus you can filter outgoing so as not not propagate if you get infected, plus you can do white and blacklist, plus AV scanning, plus... (you get the idea)

can try it out for free as well. (no, i dont work for astaro - it just has been very useful to me).
r.