best linux distro for beginners?

hi im currently looking to start using linux for more or less the first time. I had a look at ubuntu 7.10 but it doesn't get very good reviews. I dont really know the differences between the distros or anything. I will be dual booting it with xp on my laptop. My laptop is a Vostro 1500 with T7300 2.0, 2GB ram and m8600gt. It also has a intel 3945 wireless card. I would prefer a distro that will detect and install the gfx card and wireless card straight off but i dunno if thats possible

Im really looking for something thats easy to learn on and works well on a laptop. and if you could point me in the right direction for driver for my gfx and wireless that would be great too thanks

 

Ubuntu is easy and Mint is even easier.

Don't look at very specific points in reviews...Ubuntu is very popular and gets many good reviews. Each distribution has its pros and cons.

You should take a look at Distrowatch as suggested in http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=199925

 

Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Mint.
What desktop enviroment are you looking at?

 

I'd have to say Ubuntu which I am using now. It's not dumbed down, it's smarted UP

 

I'm a total linux newbie and I installed Ubuntu on my Inspiron 9300 this week. So far its been great. I have learned a whole lot about the OS in just a coupe of days.

 

Yeah, the idea to me is getting everything working right off the bat, then you can take time to learn commands, directory structure, etc.

 

I think PCLinuxOS is the best linux out there. I have for some reason had so much trouble with Ubuntu. It won't work on any machine i try!?!? I guess that is a sign that i should just stick with the "Radically Simple" PCLinuxOS.

 

I had high hopes for PCLOS, but had problems on install getting everything working....I guess it depends on your hardware (same problems with Mandriva)

EDIT: the other distro where everything worked OTB for me was Sabayon. Compiling installs from source seemed weird, but I guess it makes sense.

 

I would put another vote in for Mint. Everything I didn't like about Ubuntu was fixed with Mint, and it runs so smooth.

Of course it all depends what you want in an OS, and some hardware will run better with other distros. But for the time being, Mint feels like it belongs on my toughbook.

 

What is this Mint I be hearing about for that longest? I didn't think it could get any easier than Ubuntu.

Edit: Took a quick look at it. Does it come with Gnome desktop? Cause I hate KDE with a passion.

 

It defaults to Gnome....I don't care for KDE much myself

 

I just visited Mint's homepage a few minutes ago.

http://linuxmint.com/

4.0 Daryna, the first one, is Gnome.
Daryna KDE Community is still in beta. If KDE dropped the "K" this and "K" that I might try it again. Having said that, if there's a KDE that a guy might learn to live with, it'd be Mint's version.
4.0 XFCE version still beta too.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=191680

 

Thanks ....... Great Thread.

 

I've tried Ubuntu 7.10 and Mint 4.0 but right now I'm running openSuse 10.3 with Gnome... Most of the hardwore worked correctly out-of-box in OpenSuse where I had to configure the sound drivers in Ubuntu and Mint first... Shouldn't be very difficult but I'm just a hardcore newbie and so far openSuse has been the easiest Linux distro so far af the three I've tried.

Also, I think openSuse is the most beautiful distro out there...

 

Ubuntu, Kubuntu, SimplyMEPIS. These are the easiest I've tried, I prefer SimplyMEPIS. Mint is supposed to be the easiest of all.