What Linux Distro Would you reccommend for me? Options

[FreakyMac]

Hi There, Im FreakyMac (i sound like a noob) And i was wonder what Linux distro would be great for me and i want it to support ALL my hardware. Here are my Tech Specs

Laptop: Dell Inspiron 600m
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition SP2
Processor: 1.40 GHz Intel Celeron M Processor
Memory: 512 MB DDR SDRAM
Hard Drive: Hitachi HTS541040G9AT00 40 GB
CD-RW: HL-DL-ST CDRW/DVD GCC4244
Mouse: ALPS Trackpad
Graphics Card: ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 32MB
Ethernet: Broadcom 440x 10/100 Ethernet Card
Wireless: Dell Wireless 1370 MiniPCI WLAN
Audio: SigmaTel 9750 STAC AC97

Any Reccommendations?

[Alessandro17]

Any Reccommendations?

Debian 4.0 "Etch"
If you had a faster computer (especially more RAM) and a GeForce I might have recommended OpenSUSE, but with those specs I believe you'll be better off with Debian. You'll have to learn a thing or two, but it is worth it, IMO.
You could also install Debian with Kanotix 2006-01 RC4 (easier, plus better defaults and tools), but then you need to dist-upgrade to Etch. I would, if I were you.
If you decide to go ahead I'll help you with the next steps.

Edit: Mandriva 2007 Spring isn't bad either. It has some minor bugs, but other than that it is very nice. If you want the Powerpack, look at the green demon.

[X-FLASH08]

Try Ubuntu... if you really want to use Linux ystems only. If not, keep with your WXP.

[Lactobacillus P]

My Acer laptop in my sig runs the latest Ubuntu without a problem. Also wireless on the Centrino chipset works great.
Be sure to check out the 3D enhanced accelerated fancy desktop graphics - transparencies andwobble effects and all...

[one_7]

depend on your usage..if you want good multimedia support out of box then go for freespire..

other then that go for suse..at least for me..

[LinkFreak]

Go Opensuse 10.2. I use it on my laptop 1.3GHZ 256mb ram runs fine.

[sev7en]

Try Ubuntu Feisty 7.04 or the latest version of Litrix Linux (Litrix Linux 7.4).

[webmonkey44]

Debian 4.0 "Etch"
If you had a faster computer (especially more RAM) and a GeForce I might have recommended OpenSUSE, but with those specs I believe you'll be better off with Debian. You'll have to learn a thing or two, but it is worth it, IMO.
You could also install Debian with Kanotix 2006-01 RC4 (easier, plus better defaults and tools), but then you need to dist-upgrade to Etch. I would, if I were you.
If you decide to go ahead I'll help you with the next steps.

Edit: Mandriva 2007 Spring isn't bad either. It has some minor bugs, but other than that it is very nice. If you want the Powerpack, look at the green demon.

I agree, if you can take the complications. Othewise, take Mandrivia, freespire, ubuntu, or mepis.

[Jdhore]

i'd recommend Ubuntu 7.04 or POSSIBLY Sidux...they've both got pretty good hardware support and are pretty easy to use/install. I wouldn't recommend Debian 4.0 (Etch) because it's kind of difficult to use and it becomes out-dated very quickly...For example, it only came out about 2 months ago and already it's pretty out-dated...plus Stable is only updated ever year-year and a half...Ubuntu is updated every 6 months and Sidux is updated every few months.

[Gooly]

I suggest compile of your own...

[webmonkey44]

I suggest compile of your own...

Come on! Installing deb etch in EXPERT mode would be easier.

[Ferret-Simpson]

Come on! Installing deb etch in EXPERT mode would be easier.

Not by much.

My opinion: Threads like this are kind of pointless. Linux geeks are the ultimate fanpeople.

Everyone will stick by their distro though world war 3 depended on their changing to a different one. Myself, I'm a fan of Slackware (Runs on a 486 or an 8 core Xeon workstation, although it's x86-32 only so far.) but I also find that Sabayon (If you can get the bloody thing to boot) is an incredibly modern distro out o the box. Dreamlinux is an attempt at creating Mac OS X on Linux as far as I can see (As opposed to Sabayon, which is more of a vista clone) Slackware is OpenSolaris before OpenSolaris and Red hat/Fedora are Windows Server 2003.

To be honest, there's never a cure all solution. I can't stand Ubuntu - but most love it. You'll need to try out about 30 different distro's before you're sure which one you like best. Just have a play with a few of the suggestions in this thread, and you'll hopefully find one you can live with.

[webmonkey44]

Not by much.

My opinion: Threads like this are kind of pointless. Linux geeks are the ultimate fanpeople.

Everyone will stick by their distro though world war 3 depended on their changing to a different one. Myself, I'm a fan of Slackware (Runs on a 486 or an 8 core Xeon workstation, although it's x86-32 only so far.) but I also find that Sabayon (If you can get the bloody thing to boot) is an incredibly modern distro out o the box. Dreamlinux is an attempt at creating Mac OS X on Linux as far as I can see (As opposed to Sabayon, which is more of a vista clone) Slackware is OpenSolaris before OpenSolaris and Red hat/Fedora are Windows Server 2003.

To be honest, there's never a cure all solution. I can't stand Ubuntu - but most love it. You'll need to try out about 30 different distro's before you're sure which one you like best. Just have a play with a few of the suggestions in this thread, and you'll hopefully find one you can live with.

I'm not an exclusive fanboy. I say that windows, OSX, and linux all have their uses and are equal in some areas.

[Alessandro17]

Come on! Installing deb etch in EXPERT mode would be easier.

Actually installig Etch in expert mode isn't that difficult. It simply gives you more choice.

Not by much.

My opinion: Threads like this are kind of pointless. Linux geeks are the ultimate fanpeople.

Everyone will stick by their distro

Well, if you have tried literally hundreds of distros as I have, and always keep coming back to the same (2 in my case), it is only normal that you suggest others your favorite.
However I always take other people's needs into account. I won't hesitate recommending distros other than my favourites if that is in the user's best interest.

I also find that Sabayon (If you can get the bloody thing to boot) is an incredibly modern distro out o the box. Dreamlinux is an attempt at creating Mac OS X on Linux as far as I can see

Same here with Sabayon. As to Dreaminux it fails at installing a boot loader to partion.

I can't stand Ubuntu.

I couldn't agree more. Besides I totally fail to see why the bloody thing is "newbie friendly". There are plenty of distros which are more "newbie friendly" than Ubuntu. Even Debian isn't much more difficult than Ubuntu (no wonder, Ubuntu is almost a Debian carbon copy, without many of the benefits, especially stability).

[webmonkey44]

Then just select Ubuntu!!

Come on! Installing deb etch in EXPERT mode would be easier.

OK, I'll change to to gentoo in expert mode.

[KellyKelly]

Opensuse or Mandriva. Both are nice.

[kstephens98]

Try Sabayon

New version 3.4 is out in a few days. Should be very stable.

[my1stmacisaHACK]

slackware, or dreamlinux

[jtwh20]

id go with ubuntu or pclinuxos of course you can never go wrong with slackware

[postaldave]

going from windows to linux the best solution would be pclinuxos
that a great place to get your feet wet.