Im new to linux again. i tried xandros & liked it. i just didn't have enough time to fully learn & use it. I need help deciding a replacement for windows. Something that i can do all the normal every day stuff, but in linux. I did notice that linux is a little more hands on / involved than xp. I am not familiar w/ some of the linux lingo - gnome / kde ect... any ideas of any books or good magazines to read to learn more about linux so i dont have to ask so many questions? there is no one around me thats into linux. i would like a distro that some what easy to get into & room for me to get better. I was thinking of a few - fedora - xandros - slackware. i dont mind paying for any particular distro. any help would be appreciated. thank you in advanced.

Any of the top 15 distros at DistroWatch should be able to get your feet wet. http://distrowatch.com/ I am partial to 1.Ubuntu 2. Any Debian Based Distros like a.Linux Mint b.Mepis 3.Debian 3. I use Puppy Dingo, Ubuntu 8.04, Xubuntu 8.10, and NimbleX 2008. Its all about freedom of choice, preferences, and finally what you feel comfortable using as your operating system. I would stick with the Gnome versions of some distros because KDE 4 is still in developmental Stages and can be buggy for some users. I am sure some members will disagree, but that is just my opinion. I use Gnome, Xfce, and JWM (Jims window manager) myself. You can use whatever desktop you like, that is the beauty of using linux. The only thing that limits you is your imagination and your willingness to explore new things. And I am not a geek, just a biker using linux. [Modified by: rokytnji on December 21, 2008 08:53 PM]

thanks for your input.

moto-tek, rokytnji gave you some pretty good suggestions about distributions to consider. I agree with him that the Debian derived distributions have a wider array of options and are very much within the grasp of a beginner. If you are not concerned about purchasing a version, the one you tried before, Xandros, is truly one of the best for giving you an easy start into the world of Linux, giving you plenty of stuff that looks and feels like Windows to give you time to learn at your own pace. Xandros usually has an Open Circulation Edition to try out, plus you can usually get a full version for thirty days to try out. If you really want to get into something that is easy, but more in keeping with a true Linux system, then SimplyMEPIS is about as easy as it gets, and VERY stable, even more so than Xandros. The new version of SimplyMEPIS 8.0 is nearly ready, and a free release candidate is available now, I really recommend it; I think it is the most stable software of any kind available today. Linux Mint Version 6.0 recently came out to rave reviews. I have not tried Version 6.0 yet, but Version 5.0 was very good indeed. It would be a worthy alternative to either Xandros or MEPIS. These three really stand out for the beginner. There are others worth trying too, such as PCLinuxOS, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, and Xubuntu, plus there are a few Slackware derivatives, believe it or not, Absolute Linux and Zenwalk that are surprisingly easy as well. My vote goes to SimplyMEPIS, though. Even as a veteran, I appreciate how solid it is. The software does not get in my way, it just does the job. If I want to mess with it, the software lets me do so, but I never NEED to do so. Rarely do I find a defect anywhere.

Thanks guys. i ordered a few discs from osdirect.com ferdora 10 / slackware 12 & vector linux. i will also try the latest version of xandros since thats the first linux distro i ever tried. i am trying to get more info on these plus some more popular distro's. i like to get other peoples opinions. again, thanks guys.

[quote=moto-tek]Thanks guys. i ordered a few discs from osdirect.com ferdora 10 / slackware 12 & vector linux. i will also try the latest version of xandros since thats the first linux distro i ever tried. i am trying to get more info on these plus some more popular distro's. i like to get other peoples opinions. again, thanks guys. [/quote] I run opensuse 11.0. There's a lot of intelligent people on the mail list to if you get in trouble. You can grab the DVD iso's at http://download.opensuse.org . (I would definitely go with 11.0 right now). You mentioned terminology. KDE/Gnome are Desktop Environments. Desktop Environments give you your icons and toolbars and windows decorations, etc. I believe Xandros used Gnome if IRC.

http://www.desktoplinux.com/articles/AT8143350649.html This article is dated but a good starting point to replace windows. I use debian 5 on my laptop and Debian 4 on my desktop both with less modifications than this and they are great I have no use for windows and don't miss anything about it.