Best version of Linux for my new 1400?

I'll be recieving my new 1400 shortly, and I'm ordering a replacement hard drive for it. This will leave me with the 80g 5400rpm original hard drive to play with. I've wanted to experiment with non-microsoft operating systems for a while, so here's my chance.

What's the best to experiment with? My wife and I use the computer for work (freelance writing, editing, grantwriting, non-profit consulting, etc...) so it's primarily straightforward office type use, running a few websites (content management, not design or coding or anything), watching movies, listening to music, etc... No gaming or anything like that.

Should I try Suse? Ubuntu? Kubuntu? Should I try OSx? What is someone with good knowledge of computers, but no experience with anything other than DOS and Windows likely to be successful with? If this all goes well and the wife likes it better than Vista, it could end up on the primary 160g hard drive.

What will work best with the 1400? Any suggestions at all?

 

PCLinuxOS. I did some distro searching about half a year ago and found that to be the best and easiest to set up of all of them. You can download a LiveCD and boot it without touching your hard drive to try it out. Its been my primary OS since then.

 

Ubuntu has major problems at the moment with the new Inspirons/Vostros. There are workarounds to get it installed, but it's a bit of effort if you're new to Linux. I got it installed eventually but can't get several features to work yet (such as getting the screen to turn back on when resuming from Suspend).

I'd imagine the next version in October should address these issues.

 

I personally think SUSE is quite good....

 

Are you sure about this? Dell sells the 1420, 1520, and 1720 with Ubuntu pre-loaded as the 1420N, 1520N, and 1720N. The only issue I can see is with getting the new Intel 802.11N card working as well as the nVidia options (which will be built into Gutsy soon). Those two things not being an option is the reason I was forced to get the straight 1420 with Vista (soon to be wiped when I actually receive the thing).

Suspend, hibernate, et cetera should all work out of the box, from what I've heard. The issues seem to be with configuring the Xserver and such, for which there is a guide here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=509408

To the OP: Seeing as Ubuntu does come as an option, it's probably your best bet as far as compatibility (and what I personally prefer). If you're willing to be patient, the next release, 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon, will fix any nVidia or wireless issues, if you have those specs. But there are guides for setting it up now with Feisty. If you don't want to wait until October, you'll have a little bit of work to get it going perfectly.

 

I have installed Fedora 7 64bit version on my Vostro 1400. It has been running
great after 5 to 6 tweaks and twists. Search for my post. It is dual-boot so that
you can choose either Fedora or Vista.

On a second note, I think I might have destroyed Dell Media direct partition when
doing re-partitioning. Back then, I didn't know what dell media direct is about.
Anyway, since I have not used it before, I don't miss it that much. Like what Jerry
told Elaine in Seinfeld: "Have you been in first class before?"