Guy's I first started with red hat 5.x there was no way I could switch from windows at the time probably 5-6 yrs ago . Over the last few years I have advanced to what I would call a power user I now run a small business setting up linux networks ect as well as holding a full time job as a network admin in a school district.My lab in my home /office consists of 4 desktops 1 actual server and various laptops I play with linux and test it out on the various hardware I have Heres what I have found this past year ..............Linux is ready for the desktop !! Plain and simple I have been windows free for almost three years my desktop for me is Latest Suse 9.2 I need dvd playing Music playing
Office compatability and internet , I need gimp for doing photoshop like stuff and suse 9.2 or any suse is ideal , however I always strip it down install bare esentials I use window maker as my desktop open office ,Amaroke as my streaming audio player and I need Mplayer though xine is a equally good program.
Other tests on my lab pc's Mandrake 10.1 powerpack excellent easy install [if you know your hardware] really good could easily be my desktop.


Fedora core3 absolutely blew me away I stopped using redhat aftyer 8.0 came out I felt red hat was letting the desktop slide into decay but I just installed fedora3 last week and went to the forums to get the makings of a good apt source list and fedora came thru I am really impressed .

Ubuntu Very good for a new distro it works on my hardware all linux tested picked up and configured wireless ect no problem I could easily use it as a desktop.

Navyn os a gentoo based distro basically installs gentoo for you after a tough nite I had it installed and working using portage i was able to emerge alot of programs definately for more advance users.

Beatrix a unbuntu based os with just the basics is fast solid and good again anyone could use it.

All in all linux is up there now it lacks on the game end but I have most of the ported games running on my kids pc's [ they alll use linux].

I've used Fedora and wasn't real keen. I do a bit of multimedia work and Fedora wasn't crash hot so I moved to Gentoo. Was reasonably happy there for a while but I'm not a fan of their portage system. I like the idea behind it but when you find a buggy ebuild I hate it how you can't just go get support from the software maker because it's modified as an ebuild so you need to get support from Gentoo I installed Arch Linux today as a last resort before I tried Linux From Scratch and I'm pretty happy so far. Incredibly fast!