What is a common, well known, and easy to learn distribution of Linux?

All of them can be, depending on what you want to use it for and learn from it, use the one your most familiar with..

I like mandrake- I'm assuming you want something that "just works" and won't cause you any problems. However, if you "REALLY" want to learn, try slackware.

titanium_geek

I gave you guys the wrong idea. This is not for me, I know my Linux and I use FC3. This is for a friend of mine who just got off Windows because he is so pissed about the activation crap. So, he wants an easy distro that he can use for everything besides gaming. I suggested SuSE 9.3. Good enough?

You asked if there was an "easy to learn" distro.. so that can mean a billion things? Does the person want to know how to use CLI or wants a pretty GUI to point and click to administer and use? But when it seriously comes down to it, any distro will work if the person in question "really" wants to learn Linux. If your the person introducing it to them and are making the recommendation for them, they're most likely going to come back and ask you questions about it when something doesn't work. So then again, picking the one your most familiar with is also a logical choice as you'll be their first point of contact. After they get the hang of using Linux and learn it to become more proficient with it, let them choose their own by trying others.

But I'll repeat myself again, any distro will work, just teach and show them that there's more to it than the one you present to them and they have a choice of what they want to use and learn when starting out, etc.

This type of question is just like any other "which distro?", there's no right one to pick from. Your only going to get opinions from others in such debates.

The answer is extremely easy: FC3.

YOU are going to be your friend's technical support. Not us. His system should be set up like your own.

second that Isaac Kuo.

The only way you will keep this guy in linux is if you can solve his problems. FC3- and since you know it, it will be easy to learn for him.

Go with the same as you have.

titanium_geek