I'm curious what your favorite distro is and why.  Ubuntu is mine followed closely by OpenSUSE.  They're easy to install and easy to use.  They're not without their issues, but I've had a good experience with both.

Knoppix hd install. Everything installed smoothly. Coexist with XP with no problems. Even more of an upside is I use the live CD so much for various tasks on windows boxes, that I very comfortable with it. I get to test new ideas and tricks on my pc at time.

OK, Just posting to declare I'm amazed with how much nicer the Linux beast has become. I'm posting directly from Konqueror, using Knoppix liveCD on my home PC.
It really feels usable. And installation hell is over too.
My prior Linux inroad was an attempt to use the MkLinux on my PowerMac 7200. It involved formatting and partitioning the hard drive using some obscure tool (pfile...?)
and then going through hoops just to install the basic linux kernel and os. and then just to have a cursor blinking at me...
X windows was very very basic, and I, as a user coming from a graphically rich environment, almost without configuration issues as was Apple's system 8.1 (what I was using at the time), I completely freaked and removed that instantaneously.

Boy, I'm I amazed now...

      Easily, Ubuntu. Everything seems to work so smoothly, and there's all kinds of online info to help you through anything you can't figure out on your own.

Just dowloaded Ubuntu intall (wich is a LiveCD too) and really is slick. The best part is that autoadjusts resolution. No 1024x768 like Knoppix. And the desktop (Gnome instead of KDE) is really nice. Only one thing: it felt a bit more sluggish. I don´t know, maybe is unoptimized display drivers, but it really feels a bit unresponsive. My Fx5200 (not the best graphics, I know, but this is 2D folks.) under Win XP really flies compared to Ubuntu. The scrolling has hiccups. Other than than, all is OK. I´m recycling my older 120Gb disk to use as ubuntu drive. Later I´ll post more of my findings.

      Never noticed that myself.I guess it could be something peculiar to your graphics card in Ubuntu. Maybe sometime in the future there'll be driver update for your card. Glad to see you like it otherwise,though.

I worked for 8 years maintaining Unix/Linux in educational/scientific env.
(University/Nat.Lab.). Following is the result of my experience from three
perspectives: support of the relatively large system for relatively experienced
users; support for personal (mostly dual boot) systems for relatively inexperienced
users and finally my personal (relatively expert) use.
I have used/installed many copies of most of distributions that have appeared
during this long interval (started on Slckware ). For support of the
large system and related reliability and user experience I am sticking to
a long time runner RedHat/Fedora. I like to keep "behind" one version from
the most advanced and that with automatic updates provides excelent stability.
For personal use by inexperienced people I am 50-50 between Fedora and SuSe,
which are similar in many ways. Lesser the experience - more toward SuSe, as
people adjust to it quicker...
Finally for my personal use I rely on the Fedora on my laptop where 90+ percent
of my computing now happens. I run SuSe on the old desktop at home that
I use for such home services as asterisk for telephony, home theater (mythtv) and
own ePrint server...
(If you are interested in Linux on Sun hardware - try Aurora Linux there )
So, Fedora and SuSe win it for me with maximal stability on Fedora side
and maximal user frendlines on Suse.

I'm sorry, maybe even ashamed to say, that i've yet to use Linux.  I'm a high school kid, and with school out now, i was looking for something new to learn.  I'm trying to decide on a distro, looking for help.  So far, it's been looking like i should go with ubuntu.  Suggestions?  I'd appreciate any help.  I apologize if this is an inapropriate post for this specific thread.


Thank you,
Blaine

One the server ... trustix.

You can't beat a distro that's well supported, installs in a minimal footprint, and has zero services enabled by default.  You have to turn on what you need.

On the desktop ... Ubuntu.

I've been using *nix for years now and have settle on three distributions for various tasks.

Servers: Redhat/Fedora/CentOS
Desktop: Ubuntu (currently running xubuntu on older laptop) kubuntu for the kde lovers
Development/Playing/Experimenting: Gentoo 

I enjoy really like the stability of Redhat/Fedora/CentOS ... Ubuntu IMHO is the most well rounded "desktop" linux and has great community - which most distro do... Gentoo is my absolute favorite to play with. I love the pop the hood and tweak your system approach of gentoo - of course you can do that with any distro, but it comes so naturally in gentoo. Almost forgot about firewalls. IPCop will turn an old computer into an extremely robust router/firewall...

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=redhat
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=fedora
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=centos
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=ubuntu
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=kubuntu
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=xubuntu
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=gentoo
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=ipcop

I'm sorry, maybe even ashamed to say, that i've yet to use Linux.  I'm a high school kid, and with school out now, i was looking for something new to learn.  I'm trying to decide on a distro, looking for help.  So far, it's been looking like i should go with ubuntu.  Suggestions?  I'd appreciate any help.  I apologize if this is an inapropriate post for this specific thread.


Thank you,
Blaine

Hi. well don´t be ashamed, I´m a newbie too. check this article out. it´s on Tom'sHardwarePage, a respectable tech site.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/06/07/a_continuing_work_in_progress/

The only distribution that I use on machines that I install is Debian, preferably Testing for the desktops, and stable for the servers.

If I am doing diagnostics, I prefer Knoppix...  Of course, it is based on Debian, so I am very comfortable with it.

I have been using Slackware since I first installed Linux, about 1996

I've been using Knoppix for about 2 years now and have found it to be very stable, easy to use and easy to istall to my hd. I also liked the ability to preview and use it from the cd prior to install.
I have also used SUSE but  found it to be frustrating at times .
I have tried Morphix as well but it needs a bit more polish before I would use it regularly.
I have just downloaded the latest Xandros Distro and am looking forward to using Crossover for Windows products.

I've been using ubuntu off and on for a while now.