Linux based OS v. suggestions

ubuntu would be a good place to start debian takes some hacking because of the steap curve slackware my favorite along side debian weezy is a verry stable distro linux mint is based on squeeze has good multimedia support also a good place to start

 

^^^ once you get used to debian it's quite nice

i actually didn't find ubuntu to be significantly easier

one thing which threw me with both was permissions, was used to running as root in both slackware and puppy

 

I just installed Ubuntu 10.10 (Maverick Meerkat) on my HP laptop and I love it. I actually appreciate the learning curve after using Windows for all these years...there's been so many improvements to Linux lately, it's completely superior to Windows in every way now. Virtually no hardware issues that can't be solved with a few keystrokes and it's 'smarter' than Windows. Plus with the Wine emulator, you can even run some Windows programs (if you must).

 

Some? I play wow in wine.

Or at least, I DID until now, I'm about to cancel my subscription, i'm feelin' the nerd rage at what blizzard has done. Different is NOT better.

About all the stuff with linux mint being set up with codecs and all.... When you start ubuntu, you open rythmbox, and it asks to install the non free codecs... you open the software center, and it asks to install flash and the like.... it's seriously not hard, it does it by itself, except that it preserves the GPL, unlike (from what I can gather) linux mint.

 

i just installed lenny and while i find quite natural that if you want to install the nvidia propietary drivers you are basically alone, it was annoying that:
1- the scanner was not working because a really stupid issue with groups and permissions. this is totally silly, a decent system should manage such petty things.
2-Xorg was messed up so that only half of the screen was accessible, i fixed it installing nvidia drivers and modules but what the heck. i don't think in 2010-2011 it is acceptable that an installer cant even handle a wide monitor and very common video adaptors.

apart from this, i am quite satisfied with lenny and looking forward to squeeze.

btw do you really access and use your system as root for everyday use? im no guru but this is universally regarded as a very dangerous thing to do.