Which Distro??
 

I'm trying to play with Linux a bit and learn something new. For the time being Im leaving my Desktop in windows mode, since I need Windows for some engineering software that I run that does not seem to exsist in any form under Linux. Anyway, this leaves my laptop to throw linux on and start to learn. I'd like to find something relatively user friendly, fairly easy to install, and most important, that will run on my laptop. My specs are as such..............
Celeron 400 Mhz
128 MB RAM
5 GB HD

It's a Compaq Presario if it should matter to anyone. I'm just hoping for the basic word processing, net access, and IM program for when Im on the road. If anyone has the solution please let me know. Free is best ;)

user friendly, and fairly easy to install = mandrake and/or fedora

I've used Mandrake before. I was worried it would be sluggish on this system given it's lack of amazing specs. How's Fedora? I'll need to look into that. I was considering Slackware. I'm sure there's a learning curve, but I suppose I could learn. Not really sure where I want to go with this. It's my computer only, so I suppose as long as I can figure out how to use it anything is accpetable. Thanks for the thoughts.

Also Suse is pretty slick...

yep, mandrake or fedora, or suse. :) also check out the knoppix CD to get a flavor of linux without installing anything.

well if i had to give a suggestion, then yes i would say slackware ...
but just how you asked the question i assumed you wanted the uttermost newb friendly distro so they were the ones i suggested ...
and even if you think mandrake or whatever other distro might be sluggish (i assume you are referring to KDE and/or GNOME) then try to "adapt" to a window manager such as fluxbox which is lightweight and fast ;-)

hows the stability on these? I just dug up a few threads that made fedora seem unstable.

don't trade one evil empire for another... use debian.

Hey buddies,
I know most people have a negative feeling about Redhat Linux but I just that you should try it and see for your self. It's good for a server, laptop, workstation or just a desktop for production activities. It's having a good looking desktop which you can customize anytime and it's user friendly as long as you install it in the language you do understand.
To be frank I've been using SuSe, Mandrake, Debian but they were not my best flavour as from the time I tested Redhat Linux. Jes install Redhat 9.0 and see for yourself.

Enjoy.

yeah i have been using RH8 for a couple of weeks now and as a noob who knew nothing about linux, it seems to me like a good learning OS. I am just experimenting it on my thinkpad 450mhz cel, 256mb ram and 4 gb harddrive. As far as the basic word and im stuff, rh8 came with openoffice which can save to microsoft word formats so you can use it in windows and it comes with gaim which is compatible with msn and aim messager. In the future I'm looking to put slackware on my desktop.