[olug] Intel Compute Stick + Linux

[Kevin D. Snodgrass]

Anyone install Ubuntu on an Intel Compute Stick?
Next door neighbor, not a computer guy but a truck driver, wants something set up to allow him to show vacation and family pics and movies on his HD TV in the living room.  My first thought was a micro-ITX, similar to the computers that used to be in the AIM lab but while searching for something like that I found the Compute Stick.
He used to use Windows on his PC but I showed him Linux and he liked it, so when Windows hosed itself during a software update a friend of his installed Ubuntu 12.04LTS and my neighbor has been very happy with it.  Would like to install the exact same version/desktop/etc so the interface is exactly the same.  Looks like a Compute Stick + wireless KB/mouse would do the trick.
Read that the Linux Realtek WiFi driver is only available by request, so it might be a PITA.
Any advice?  Other options that might be better?
 Kevin D. Snodgrass