How to be fully MS-free on a laptop??

Not having heard of the Great Satan's buy-in when it
happened, I got an ibook thinking it would save me
having to scour odd evil bits of code that might
infest obscure corners -- only to have it boot up with
IE, big as life. 

	First question: is that all, or are there other
contaminating and corrupting electronic pollutants?

	Second: how do I best get rid of it/them, and be sure
to leave no traces? I've never had any experience with
Apples before.

	Third: what should I have done? I.e., how do you get
a clean laptop to start with? Are there any? Or do you
have to do a lot of bell book & candle work wherever
you start??

-- 
Beartooth the Stubborn <karhunhammas (at) lserv.com>
double retiree & linux hatchling w/ RH 7.2, YDL 2.2, & OSX 10.1
Pine 4.43, Opera 6.03, Pan 0.11.2, Galeon 1.2.5, Mozilla 1.0
Delenda est MegaSleazo! http://www.linuxmall.com/refund/