Advice me on a Intel Linux Distro for a win user

[copter]

Ok..this is a good one linux fans out there:
I'm newby and eager to dig in the Linux World: Please helpme decide which Linux Distro to buy! I'm very concerned with a clean install on a pentium III 700MH ,asus f3b mobo & ps2 mouse & isdn modem to the internet,SB live soundCard,32MBcreative tnt2, 30GB UDMA HD.
Thank You

 

[Klosters]

There isn't any "best" Linux distribution. Many folks will get used to a certain distro, which then becomes the "best," at least for them.

All I can do is detail my personal favorite. I've used older versions of Red Hat, Caldera, SuSE, and Mandrake. I've had insurmountable(at least for me) problems with Mandrake 5.3, 6.0 and lately 7.2. Corel's latest version is said to be very newbie friendly. I've used SuSE 6.1, 6.2 and recently 7.0. Personally, I love SuSE. It's everything a Linux distribution should be. Solid as the Rock of Gibraltar. 7.0's installation process is darn near as automatic as Win9x's.

 

[NOSOUP4U]

What is it specifically that separates one distribution from another? I know redhat is the most popular, but I dont know why it is that. If i had to install a distro, I'd pick redhat but only because the majority uses it. yes, I'm a sheep. show me how to be a wolf.

 

[BCYL]

Well RedHat and Mandrake are the most popular Linux distros out there... Mandrake have great hardware support, and both of these distros are very user-friendly (I assume these are the reasons why ppl use them too)... Both are very easy to setup and install...

So if you are just starting up I would go with either of these distros and give it a try... If you have broadband connection you can download the ISOs from their websites instead of spending money buying...

 

[urbantechie]

Try Mandrake 7.1. Easy setup and alot of hardware is supported.

 

[LostBoy]

I agree. I just installed Mandrake 7.1 today very easy install. It's become a lot easier than the last time I installed Linux a couple of years ago.

 

[zzzz]

I liked the mandrake 7.2 (I think its still beta-ulysys or something)
The installation was painless and it looks easy..

 

[Doh!]

It's been a while since I fooled around with Linux distros but Mandrake 7.2 if you have an ATA/66 HD. Other distros are also compatible but may need extra steps to get the ATA/66 working. Mandrake's install is the easiest with an ATA/66 HD I think.

 

[NOSOUP4U]

Okay the consensus is that Mandrake has the easiest installation. But how about in terms of using the OS? Which one looks better, has the most (best) features?

 

[andri]

linux is linux, features are the same. mandrake only hides some stuff from you and generally expects that a moron uses it.

(yes, i hate mandrake thanks to its expert-unfriendliness.)