Mint would be my choice for a new user. Heck, I'm using it now as my desktop and I've used many other distros for years (Debian, Slackware, etc.) For a desktop that just works out of the box, it is Linux Mint Xfce for me. I think the Xfce desktop is the better choice with Mint for a new user wanting something that looks and feels kinda, sorta, like Windows back in the 2000/XP days.

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You will get different answers from different groups or "fanboys". We have people here who will say Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Fedora, even Slackware but what they don't know is what you already know? If you are have never used a PC before in your life go for Ubuntu or Linux Mint both of these will hold your hand throughout the support life of the distro version. If you want a little challenge try Fedora or Debian.

Please keep reading as my reply to Eddy1 may also help to influence your choice.

Eddy you may not be aware that DebianLive also offers a non-free iso for download. They install the non-free firmware at instal time (it is even available in the Live image) just like LMDE does. The only reason to use LMDE is for LinuxMint specific modifications or packages (MATE or Cinnamon). Here is the list for x86 (32 bit) and here is the list for x86-64 (64 bit). Choose your flavour (with a gui of course) install it and your on your way.

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Yes that's great to know, the last debian-live iso that I had was squeeze, which actually fit on cd.

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Hi k3lt31,or anybody,could you advise me on which non-free iso to download?
list for x86-64 (64bit) would prefer the LXDE one.
Looking at the list following your link is a bit confusing for a new to Linux person and is that one the whole Distro?

Thank you in advance if you could assist.

Cheers

Biff

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EDDY1 has done it for you. Just remember to download one with .iso being the last part of the name and the name of a Desktop Environment also in it. Files with something after the .iso are for information and not the actual image you want. Another thing about those iso images is they are hybrid images meaning you can put them onto a usb (using the dd command) and install it to the PC from the usb drive. That means you don't waste a CD/DVD everytime you download one.

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Not recommending a distro. But if lost with all the choices and vague terminology that we take for granted are just flying/zooming over your head and you still don't know what the heck is going on.

The links in my sig make for good reading before installing and running Linux on any of your gear.

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I would think the title of the thread, "Which version of Linux is best for an absolute rookie?" gives a pretty clear indication of what the OP knows.
I think we can assume the OP is at least a reasonably experienced computer user, or they wouldn't have said, "I very much want to try a Linux operating sysytem, as a way to become independant from Microsoft and Apple." I highly doubt you would hear those words said by someone who has never used a computer before. Someone never having used a computer would not even know the difference between "Microsoft, "Apple" and "Linux", let alone the definition of an "operating system". I think people here are giving some pretty good recommendations based on the title of the thread. You sneaking in a veiled insult by calling others "fanboys" for their recommendations is not really called for.

OP - Some distros are better at holding your hand through the tough times than others. But that does not mean you are required to take advantage of any hand holding offered. If you want to forge ahead on your own and get into the technical details, you can do that with any distro. ANY distro. You can do just as much, and learn just as much, from the command line of Ubuntu as you can from the command line of Slackware. But as a newbie, it is nice to have some hand holding available to help you in the initial stages of your learning. It is also good to use a distro that other new learners tend to use. That way you have a large community of others similar in experience to youself to draw help from. If you were to ask, "How to I play a DVD in Linux?" you would get massively different instructions from, say, the Ubuntu/Mint community than you would get from the LFS ("Linux From Scratch") community. I dare say, as a newbie, you would not want to hear about how to accomplish it in LFS.

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The OP has only 1 posting & hasn't responded or acknowledged the help or services offered to them.

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Although my firs thought is Ubuntu, what do you want to use it for (exact winblow$\mac$uck$ replacement) and\or learning or???

PcLinux was nice out the box.

Also check http://zorin-os.com/

Maybe because the computer they're wanting to put Linux on, but is currently running Windows, has done what Windows computers tend to do (get infected with something, blue screen, lockup, or otherwise crap out on you)?

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1 day? Needs a week for me...

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An absolute rookie of what?

I don't assume anything. I ask questions for clarification so the OP can get the help (from everyone) they require rather than the help people who assume (guess) they know exactly what the OP is talking about think they need.

If they don't watch TV or listen to the radio or haven't had discussions with people about these things then this is a fair comment. If however they have talked to others and listened to the radio or watched TV and have come here to obtain more advice because they want to learn then this comment assumes alot.

I agree but I believe more input from the OP, who hasn't been back since, would help to give them better options.

You know something, this tendency for people to take insult where none is made is old. You can't read emotion, you can't sense infering of insult, you are assuming something that is not reality. If pointing out to the OP that some peoples recommendations may well be biased because they are fanboys of certain distros and would never in their life consider anything else is a veiled insult then so be it. There are bigger insults in LQ for people to worry about but you go and report me for posting that.

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I did no such thing. Who's making assumptions now?

Hi and thanks for all assistance given.
I downloaded Debian from the link above and Installed it on my computer, to ages and had to reboot 4 times as the insulation kept crashing.
Going through the install menu..well I think it was Grub..very involved.
Got to take media out then reboot..in my case USB stick..couldn't get it to the home screen.
I have downloaded, installed 63 Distro's in the last 2 weeks, so I don't think it was me.
Although, set up was nothing like I have uncounted before.

Maybe corrupted files on stick..did format fat32 on stick same as always.

I think I will go and buy the latest Linux magazine, it has Debian DVD included in the Mag.

Will I start another thread or keep using this one.
Any suggestions, advice appreciated.

Many thanks

Biff