8 Best Linux Distributions For New Linux Users

[m654321]

I think this particular list is a bit off, and I am user familiar with all the distros listed except for elementary OS.

1) I personally think that Linux Lite is the best Linux distro for new Windows converts largely because of its features, its stability, its intuitive ease of use for Windows refugees, and its excellent support, which by the way, every distro out there these days could take a lesson from. It is well conceived to be easily maintained and tweaked from the GUI, a feature which Windows converts need available as much as possible to feel comfortable.

To add a little nasty humor at this point, and probably an unpopular personal opinion: I have never understood the sense of Arch Linux. What is the point of building from scratch anything other than Debian or Slack? If it’s not at the big end, servers, hard science, etc. and it’s not going to be addressed at Windows market share, it just essentially amounts to a hobby. I wish I had that kind of time on my hands. Seems a little vain these days to me, but of course I am old.

TC

 
Trinidad - I agree 100% with your first point.  The fantastic support team at LL is as valuable as the distro itself, and like you have found this to be not very satisfactory elsewhere, due either to elitism (unhelpful) or the problem of support just generally being thin on the ground. 

You mention  Elementary OS. I have tried this in setup (3) & (4) in signature - like LL it's great on older less powerful PCs.  I really liked it (a close 2nd to LL) except for the Midori web browser that seemed to crash frequently (there's probably a fix for that). It looks a bit like Mac OS with icons on a plank, very clean, simple and attractive OS. That said, I don't know what their support community is like.

And turning to your wry remark on Arch Linux. Well, there's nothing wrong with hobbies, be it Arch Linux or anything else for that matter.  They simply address personal enjoyment rather than financial or market share issues, a distraction from life's stresses & strains...  oh yes, and I should add that I'm not an Arch Linux user - definitely don't have the time, inclination or the brains! ;D

Cheers
Mike