i wanted to install linux on my computer because windows really disappoints me. i have a p2 300 mhz, 192 mb ram, 17 gig hd. i run windows xp on my computer currently, and i used to use windows 2000. both run fine on it, but i think linux would run a whole lot faster and better, and i would like a change. i looked up college linux, slackware, mandrake, and several others. i have tried using beatrix and slackware but i had problems trying to install a wireless network. i was wondering what anyone would recommend for me. i would prefer a distro that installs on hd, something user friendly since i'm a newbie, and a distro that would be easy to setup a wireless network with WEP key. I have a linksys WMP54GS wireless adapter.

From my personal experience it seems to me that Mandrake is the best Distro for newbies...but mind you that setting up a network wireless or not can be a little tricky at the beginning "but not necessarly " in all linux distros

do you know what the minimium requirements for mandrake are... how would it work with my pc? do you know any websites or give me any info on how to set up my network on mandrake.

I'd advise Mepis or Ubuntu but with an XFCE desktop (not their native KDE and Gnome desktops, respectively).

What I mean is: get Mepis--install it on the hard drive. Its default desktop is KDE, which is very slow, but through Synaptic Package Manager, you can easily install XFCE. Once XFCE is installed, you log out, pick XFCE from the session list, then log back in. When it asks if you want to make XFCE your default session, say yes. That's it.

It has little to do with the distro and a lot to do with the desktop environment/window manager.