Hallo,
I tested about 5 or 6 dozens of distros. (About 10 of those I would recommend)
I started with puppy and it remained my favorite. But it exists only in english
(My english is out of order - I didn't practise for decades)
I liked openmamba, knoppix and mandriva.
Even Slax fascinated me (It's a great idea to select the modules you like and can download al together directly into an iso file wthout having the problem of remastering)
I didn't feel well with suse neither with Ubuntu (they have the best marketing but I don't thing they have the best distro).
Also for me there doesn't exist the one and only distribution because I can see the pros and cons of the various distros.
If there would exist one perfect distro why do exist the other 500?
The only reason ist because every distro is good in some things but weak in others so that the other one has the strength where the first one was weak.
Even if I consider myself as a newbie in Linux I think I am able to recommend or to select a distro for others: (Depending on what the other intends to do with it and according to his knowledge in computering or linux.
The problem is everything changes that fast that you remain newbie for ever. I also collect antiquates. Often a forgotten distro is really great.
But if there isn't a team and it is a onepersononlydistro often this person is a genius but doesn't have time or resurses to make marketing and if also lacks sponsoring
often there exist only a very weak mirror. and suddenly even if it were the best distro in the world it cant be continued.
So the problem of which distro will remain for ever.