Try this http://www.zegeniestudios.net/ldc/index.php?select_lang=true It will tell you what is best for you I would recommend Ubuntu as your distro as it is top rated and really stable
I have use linux on and off 4 past 7 years, I have found that even if you do not pay for it, is is more stable then windows, my first was mandrake 6 move to mandrake 8.1 at the same time with xp,found that linux is more reliable then windows payed for both and got more reliable and stable performace out of linux, windows had replace most of the new hardware for older to make it work, and sence then move to suse 9 now suse 10, tryed ubutu,madriva,frebs,fedora,well to make it short 27 linux OS, of all I found the SUSE is the winner for me it is eazy to install the interface is as simple or as advance as you like to be, and when swishing from kde to gnome or other it simpler and I do not have to reboot at all times, and sence nowell to over SUSE it has become more Friendly and more stable than must linux version in the market, madriva,fedora,ubuntu,and some other keep having intruder problems my you they corrected quickly but SUSE tend's not to doesprobles lately, and as far for utilities Suse has every thing that you burding software, media 7, office 2, translator, well every thing that you need,the interface in kde is simple it is like looking at windows with out having to use does 3 fingers that you in windows most of the time, and security it has it, firewall even anyvirus for free, in windows all get a real posibility that it will crash, in linux if it does cash witch seldome, you will recove in abought 2 min: , in windows just hope you have you backup on hand and update, look there are live version try them from knopies suse mandriva and so on try them http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php you can see the diferrence they may look a like but there is something for every one out there. enjoy and hope this help's and suse has a fast tutorial on line command code writting just install the yast tutorials, and YAST is yet another system tool,enjoy
