i recall having difficulty getting my bamboo working in 10 but it worked fine in 11. any reason you can't bump up to 11? 10 is getting pretty dated. i regularly install mint 12 on machines with Windows XP stickers with no problems (and no driver hunt!)

I would like to find a linux driver for it so I can set the sensitivity a tad less

which is probably why it suddenly started working with the upgrade. the problem is there's no gui interface to configure the driver like there is for wacom graphics tablets. here is ubuntu's page on the driver with some tips and links to config. note that your tablet is listed at the top of the doc..

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/TabletSetupWizardpen#Pressure_sensitivity_works.2C_but_is_not_calibrated_well

Here is a link to the one I bought. I don't have it in my possession yet.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-5-x-4-DigiPro-WP5540-USB-Graphics-Tablet-w-Cordless-Pen-Black-New-/380544404703?pt=US_Graphics_Tablets_Boards_Pens&hash=item589a36ccdf

It says it is compatible with windows 98se up to 7 and I'm using Wine to run AutoCad2000 in so I'm sure I can get it to work in AutoCad. I'd like to have it work in linux too. Sounds like this link you gave me (thx) will let me know. I should have it in a few days. I have to set Wine to windows 98 to get my version of AutoCad to run so it and the tablet should be compatible. Its also a wintab compatible tablet too.
I bookmarked the link so I can see if it will work in Ubuntu when the tablet gets here

While I have your ear or eyes I have another question. I recently bought a mitsubishi graphic tablet 01 and thought for sure I could find a driver for it but I've not been able to even get close. Is there a linux driver that might work. It is more designed for Cad use than the tablet I just bought and if I could get it to work I'd use it and forget this other one.
Thanks for the help

ETA: I need to add the model of mitsubishi I have. It is a Mitsubishi Grafnet 01