Which Linux should I choose

A short search on the internet will find you literally hundreds of different Linux distributions. Which is best for you? Well, it really comes down to personal preference. Any of the distributions listed in the top 10 at Distrowatch would be a good choice for most people, however a couple of distributions have a reputation for being particularly new user friendly.

Mandrake Linux is a complete distribution that comes on 3 CDs. The installation procedure is one of the best of any operating system I have personally tried. Mandrake has a very easy to use desktop and comes with a choice of internet, email, office productivity, gaming and multimedia software all ready to use. See a full list of Mandrakes features and read a complete review of Mandrake at Linux Tips 4 Free.

MEPIS comes on one CD which can be used both as a live CD and to install it. It includes just one of each type of program for simplicity and is set up to work right "out of the box". Read more about the features and a complete review of MEPIS at the Peterborough LUG website.

Brief comparison of Mandrake and MEPIS:

Feature / Distribution	Mandrake	MEPIS
New user friendly	YES	YES
Run straight from CD		YES
Installable on hard drive	YES	YES
Just one program of each type		YES
Choice of software for each task	YES
Just 1 CD to download		YES
Multiple CDs to download	YES

Both Mandrake and MEPIS can be bought directly from the companies that create them (which is a great way to support them and guarantee their continued development) or obtained from these third party websites.

These two distributions are a fairly safe bet for a new user however if you fancy a more personalized recommendation then why not give (:^ tuxs.org)  Linux Distribution Chooser a go?