1. Installation. Both should have no problems. Ubuntu runs live and Fedora is creating its live spins. But there is one more thing. In Fedora, during installation, you can choose which packages to install. In Ubuntu, you'll have to wait until after the system is installed. (Which really isn't that big a deal.)
1.5 Hardware compatibility. If you don't have an integrated Intel video card, a Intel XXXX wireless card, a Broadcom wireless card or something too fancy, you are mostly OK. With the Intel video and wireless cards, expect some trouble. I've been battling with those on each version. You can check another post of mine about somethings I've written down on these. More will be written only on request because it's quite tedious to write and if everyone finds it somewhere else...
2. Configuration. There are very few Linux that works "out of the box". Little changes are not that harmful anyway considering the great experience you are getting. Fedora's graphical control of services gives a lot more detailed information of the services than Ubuntu. Services are listed with descriptions in Fedora while in Ubuntu, you'll see no description most of the time. If you are willing to go deep into /etc/services, I think it makes no different obviously because deep down, they are all Linux. But for the lazy man, Fedora has a better configuration tool. In both systems, startup sessions can be configured pretty easily. Other configuration tools are similar. Ubuntu is built in Debian, so it is said that it inherited some better ones. But I haven't been able to notice anything in particular.
3. Extra software installation. In Fedora 8, the package handling is much improved. The first run is slow but after that it will be smooth. Furthermore, you will be able to selected your media/repository graphically. In Fedora 6, those have to be done with command line. Sorry that I actually don't remember what happens with Fedora 7, somebody help me fill in the detail. In Ubuntu, Dpkg, APT and aptitude are available. And Ubuntu offer some easy installation of restricted softwares like Mplayer while in Fedora, you'll have to run commands because the gcc compiler won't be the right version. They both support rpm packages but we usually use provided softwares I guess. Software installation in Ubuntu is a bliss. The fact is, it's even easier than Windows. Add/Remove + package manager is quite adequate. But if you want to install faster or you already know the name of the package you want to install, "yum install" in fedora and "apt-get" in Ubuntu are the best. Just learn the commands, it's like 3 words.
4. Boot up speed. Ubuntu is faster and lighter. And it's mostly because of internal design and little space to improve it. But in either case, the boot up time is reasonable.
5. Responsiveness is better in Fedora because they use less effects, at a surface level. At a deeper level, it is all up to if you've chosen the right level of drudge for your computer and what your settings are.
6. Popularity and support. Both have good forums. And I think it is worthwhile to go there and ask most of the time and see if people are having similar problems and their solutions. Explanation in Ubuntu forum is probably going to be more accessible to the common user because of its immense popularity. And in Fedora's forum, there's probably those countable "experts" answering questions that may or may not make sense to beginners. Linux setting requires command line most of the time. When you ask for help, try your best to give more details and be communicative.
7. Stability. Ubuntu seems to be more stable sometimes. But be patient, I don't think either should hang.
8. Visual Effects. Ubuntu 7.10 offers normal compiz visual effects right after a fresh install. And you can choose to enable more. Fedora 8 came with the minimal. (And of course, in both versions, the earlier the edition, the less the effects.) But if you are really into this, I am sure they both don't offer enough and you can go to the communities to let people help you discover the maximal.
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