Is there a Linux that works like a Mac for installs?
 

I am a Linux newbie. I started out with Meego because it takes up so little space and I was romanced by it's lovely desktop. I really thought it would be like Mac OS or Windows, in that when I wanted to install new software I would simply download a single file and click on it and it would install. Nope!!! I was SO wrong. Everything I find that I need (e-readers, Wed dev software, etc.) requires some complicated installation using line commands and me editing this file or that one. I do not know how to do that and have no desire to learn (no offense). I found that out when I tried. I can't tell you how much time I've spent the last few months reading this site and that one trying to figure things out. It's all Greek to me.

Is there a Linux distro that works like Mac and Windows for installation AND has a large body of software available for it? I really need to just be able to download a file, click on it, and *poof* it's installed. I just don't have the time or patience for line commands and file editing. Thanks so much, in advance, for your help. I really do appreciate it!!!

I would recommend to try it with Mint or Ubuntu. You still don't just install something you downloaded, but there is a central application (Software Center) that will handle the download and installation of applications for you.

"Just installing things you download off the web" is one of the worst practises around and why so many Windows machines are so agonizingly slow- tons of programs available online are riddled with adware and extra "features", and many with trojans and worms.
The Linux Way is to install from a controlled, monitored, maintained repository of software. The software is kept up-to-date and current and reviewed constantly for bugs and flaws. You are incredibly more better off downloading a program from a repository and installing than just randomly clicking .exe's on the web.
tl;dr: Install Ubuntu or Mint, and use the Ubuntu Software Center. :)

If you want things to work "just like Mac or Windows", then get Mac or Windows.......

There's a bit of a paradox here. While it is true that many Windows applications are no-brainers to install, the fact is that---for equal functionality---a complete Linux system is much faster and easier to set up than is the equivalent Windows system. The **appearance** of being more difficult comes from the fact that the typical user first needs to UNlearn a lot of Windows stuff.

suppose you decide to try Ubuntu or Mint---by the time the automated install is finished, you'll already have all the "core" software that the typical user needs---eg e-mail, web, office suite, graphics, CD/DVD, etc.

I would concur with the suggestion above that if you want the Mac or Windows look/feel, buy it. Meego probably wasn't the best choice to start with. It's not even in the top 100 of Linux distributions which would mean there aren't that many users and the documentation/forums and support for it would be less than other systems.

The method of installing from distribution repositories is much easier as well as safer than downloading software from unknown sites on the internet as indicated above. If your research led you to sites which had command line entries required to install software, it might be a good idea to check the date on the site. You certainly don't need to do that with any of the more frequently used distributions of Linux.

OpenSuse is a good choice for a beginner.

As above, most if not all Linux distros come with a tool (GUI and/or cli) that installs stuff for you, inc dependencies from known good repositories (normally these have 1000's of pkgs avail).
If you've been downloading/building stuff from src, that's really only for advanced users or really obscure SW.
Please specify your HW so we can suggest a distro. If its reasonably modern/powerful almost any distro at www.distrowatch.com should work.
Typically beginners are pointed at Ubuntu/Xubuntu, Mint etc.
See the many many threads on this subject.
You might also want to read http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm

Thank you so much, TobiSGD and CincinnatiKid, for the helpful suggestions. I really appreciate it.

And, chrism01, I'm wanting a quick-loading, easy to use OS for my Acer Aspire One D255E with an Atom 1.66 GHz processor and 1 GB RAM.

The things I have grown to hate about Windows are its constant need to second guess the user ("Are you sure you want to do that?") and its bloated size. I love how little space Meego takes up and how quickly it boots but, most of the time its installation handler didn't work most of the time.

Thanks again for the help!

Although not considered a newbie distro Debian works perfectly on the Acer one.

Once installed, you can use Software Center or Synaptic just like Ubuntu or Mint.

SwitchingToUbuntu/FromWindows/Philosophy - Community Ubuntu Documentation : https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Sw...ows/Philosophy

I use Bodhi Linux on my Acer Aspire One netbook. Works beautifully and runs super fast.