For around $50 US it is helping a great deal.
Unfortunately I can't find Unbuntu drives (Linux) so I have to dual boot into windows (AAAHHH).
I know you've moved on a bit from this point, but I have the same microscope (Age concern £3.99) & have no problem running it on my son's eeepc701 running ubuntu NBR, using a webcam program called "Cheese."
Easy peasy lemony squeezy