Debian here too (jessie tho,) KDE for the ten year old and with only icons and widgets (e.g: solar system, bouncing ball, sliding block puzzle, moon and stuff) for the two and a half's.

My family doesn't like using Linux. They prefer to use the W OS. But if they did, I would put either Mint or pclinuxOS on the family computer.


I, on the other hand, have my own desktop and it only runs linux. PERIOD...

What's all this obsession with stabilty and multi-year support? I've never used a mainstream distro that was what I would call "unstable", and who runs a computer for 10 or even 3 years without updating the OS? Nobody, in a home environment, so it's hardly an issue.

On the contrary, I know many home users (and quite a few business users) who have been running Windows XP continually for 10+ years. "Ordinary" users don't want to reinstall every 6 months, they want to install once and keep going for years. How else to explain the hordes of posters here looking for help with outdated distros like Fedora 13, Ubuntu 10.04, or Xandros? The "average user" wants to find a solution that works well, and then stick with that solution for as long as possible. In my opinion/experience.

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I whole heartedly agree. Years ago I kept updating my Slackware distro. Each new release ran just a little slower than before. After awhile, I went back to an earlier version and left it there. Version 7 or 8, I don't really remember. Anyway, it stayed on that machine until the machine gave up the ghost. When I finally got around to buying another machine, I put Slack 14.0 on it, as that was what was then current. Three days ago, just for something to do, I put Slack 14.1 on it. In just the little time I had Slack 14.0 on, I got so used to the way I'd configured it, and the way the software ran on it, that I'm now regretting somewhat putting 14.1 on. There are only a few things that changed that I see from what I use, but they are irritants. And these can be as trival as an icon change. So, at least one of us 'home users' does tend to keep stuff for years. Witness also my 13 year old Power Mac.

And for a family PC, the best distro would probably be what the family wants. None of my family will touch my machine because it "Just isn't the same. It has that other stuff on it". I grin when they say that and leave them alone. Helps to keep the tranquility level higher.

I used to change every 6 months with Ubuntu and thought it was great at the time, swapped to Debian Lenny which was equivalent to Ubuntu 8.04 then to Squeeze which was equivalent to Ubuntu 10.04 a couple of weeks later when it was released and pretty much stayed there on some machines until Wheezy was released. My main machine, this one, pretty much runs Sid the entire time so no new installs. I find Debian's stability and lack of effort required to update every 6 months a better option than Ubuntu's instability and changing every 6 months (for non LTS releases).

From personal recent experience (as well as being a new linux convert from windows) I have to say Debian stable as well. Admittedly I have installed a number of times before I got smart and ran virtualbox. But it is 99% bulletproof thus far and I have no desire to use anything else. Ubuntu has been nothing but problems for me, Mint... I just don't like a taskbar anymore I guess. Depends on what you are coming from really though. If coming from Windows keep it similar. If first computer with new family / kids on the way, change it up. Death to the taskbar!

Home use, as in for everybody at home? Coz, for only me, Slackware. But for whole family use, Linux Mint. If you don't want to keep installing every 6 months, use LTS release or use LMDE. PCLinuxOS would be next choice. Solid and rolling release.

Had Ubuntu for a long time. Last stable, sensible Ubuntu release was 10.04 which is no more supported. Put sincere efforts to get used to new UI. Learned to live with Unity, but too many crashes. Don't have time to look for fixes for a 'just works' distro.

Tried CentOS. Didn't work. Finding support for modern hardware, features, softwares...that a typical 'family' user needs is difficult.

I have use linux on the desktop since 2002
Ran redhat, Suselinux and 5 years ago switched to Ubuntu, the computer im writing this from is Running Ubuntu 10.04 and was installed 2009 along with Windows Vista it wish it camme preinstalled.

It was really a struggle to get my GF to run linux but finally one day the computers harddrive gave up and we needed to use and old one wish only ha linux.
And dad did it.

Ubuntu/ mint / Suse is great for desktop use and requires minimal tweaking and there are alot of instructions and guides.
If i would switch today it would not be to windows id get a Mac of some kind.

Id really would like to see more of linux on the desktop and possiblility to buy it in any store on consumer market.
The only way is to freqvently request it from the vendors, DELL, Lenovo, HP, Packard Bell, etc.

Off and on for a few years now I've just toy'd with linux.. never could settle on one for home use.
I ran red hat as a server, then migrated back to windows several times over the years.
As an IT admin, in a windows world it was hard to get away from the 2003 server, and 2008 boom.. but never used it for practical home use.
The past 4 months I've used some variant of KDE on the desktop, either a Suse or Ubuntu, and so far I've really liked Kubuntu as a home use desktop environment..
So far I've installed it on my desktop, tablet, server and media station(dualboot). And no regrets..
I tried Mint, and it felt too much like XP to me, but I may not have jumped into the customization options as I did with Kubuntu.

I'm running Kubuntu 14.04 LTS -trusty tahr alpha 1 now, and have to say it's awesome.. it's recognized all my hardware with the exception of a TV card(1850)..

Just keep using it every day and you will get the look and feel for it.

Yeah.. seems I've downloaded about 40 different distros and keep coming back to Kubuntu. Along with the type of distro everyone is using, are there particular eye-candy(visual) aspects of that distro that they like the best?
I've got great video card, ssd, triple 23" monitors and trying to turn on all the bells and whistles out there. Anyone else?

Ubuntu, kubuntu, lubuntu, xubuntu they are all debian based, with different window managers gnome, kde, xfce , lxde etc.
Xubuntu is great for older computer it really brings them back to life.

Whats the brand of you videocard, your trying to get that running?
I bouhgt a laptop with nvidia it works out of the box.

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@mizrhappy, I think the only versions of *buntu that are LTS are Ubuntu (Unity Desktop Environment) and Server. As far as I am aware Kubuntu lost its LTS standing when Canonical withdrew official support, likewise Xubuntu and Lubuntu are also not LTS.

There are Lts releases of them too since they are ubuntu based the follow the same patter 12.04 LTS
http://www.kubuntu.org/

Kubuntu is Ubuntu but without Unity windows manager.