I use Linux, and Bibble and Ufraw are the only options for RAW there.
Ufraw cannot compete with Bibble in terms of features. There are other
options in Windows, but I don't know about those.

    Before plunging into it, check out their support forums, and go to the
one for your camera, whatever it is. If there are any issues with Bibble
and your camera (bad white balance, colors, etc), it'll come out there.

    Bibble has a number of nice features. However, I try to use it just for
the basic levels and curves adjustments, and anything else that matters
for 12 bit processing. Then I save it as JPEG and do the rest in Gimp,
as I like their interface. However, it is nice seeing simple Noise Ninja
and Lens Correction features in Bibble. But do check the subforums for
your camera. I have an Olympus E-500, and there are a few color issues,
which I hope they are working on.

    (And when comparing RAW converters, keep in mind that probably no two
will give identical results, and none will look like the one your camera
software produces).

Bibble is ok. The lite version has all the important tools for amateur use.
Bibble has a "vibrancy" slider that is lacking in Photoshop but the effect
is otherwise reproducible in PS.
Whether or not you find the noise reduction and the lens distortion plug-in
useful is your call.
The different raw converters follow different work-flows and one may appeal
more to some people than others.
I am not convinced that there are significant technical advantages of one
over another or technical advantages of performing operations in a raw
converter or in Photoshop. The latter has many more tools, more flexibility
and in particular allows work in lossless layers.

When I first started using Bibble a few months back, after years if using
Capture One, Rawshooter and ACR, I was initially very impressed (especially
with it's highlight recovery feature, fill and it's vibrancy. However, now
that I've got over my initial enthusiasm I have some serious issues with it
and have reverted to using Capture One.

My main complaint is Bibble's interface, which I find quite frustrating.
This is probably more down to me, than any inherent problem with the
software (as I say, I was used to working with other converters and I
probably just found Bibble a little too unorthodox).

I now also question the value of using highlight recovery - often it looks
weird in the final image so I now aim to use Bibble's feature only when
absolutely necessary.

Finally, you have to be very careful with Bibble's vibrancy and saturation
settings - they are nice when used sparingly, completely unbelievable when
pushed too far.

Overall, I prefer Capture One. It needs more learning and doesn't do
anything spectacular with offensive highlights - but the end result is, in
my opinion, more satisfactory.

As for noise reduction - I use Noise Ninja in Photoshop anyway, so I have
little to gain by having it in Bibble.

Cheers