the best thing i can suggest is read the reviews ...
http://www.linuxquestions.org/reviews/index.php
cause the best way to select a distro is by testing different ones .. me like many others have tried many many distros until we agree upon one and thats what we use ... sometimes use multiple ones ...
the main difference is what apps, etc come packed with the distros ...
cause all i can say is linux is linux ..
linux is the kernel not the distro on a hole...
anyways the most help you will get from this is people telling you what they like
best, so in the end you will still have the same list that you presented us in your
original post ... so go read and decide for yourself is my expert opinion
but just to throw you a recommendation i will say slackware