STABLE nvidia drivers for Ubuntu 8.10?

Seriously, I tried 177 through Jockey and it face-raped X.  So I figured "I know nothing about anything, let's use 173!" and got the same results.  I just reinstalled for the third time, and I want some goddamned stable drivers.

I know, I know "Ubuntu is for f@g0rz!" and "Solution: use a better distro"

eH?

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us
Don't use the default supplied ones. They will fuck up many Dell laptops.