I have so far tried the newest versions of Redhat, Mandrake, Lycoris, and Lindows, and they almost all seem the same except for some minute differences. What's the difference between the Linux distros? I've heard that some make it easier for noobies, and some are better for servers, but when it comes down to it, isn't is just the software programs that are installed that makes them different? Please help me clear up this confusion so I can make up my mind as to which one to use.

I am looking for speed and good programs, such as Open or Star Office, with a good easy to use desktop with icons. I heard that Vector Linux might fill this role? Anybody know?

vector linux is for slow computers, but it's not very user-friendly.
if you're newbie you should go for the mdk, red hat or suse.
if you're not newbie, you would already know what distro to use...
and what do you mean by try? you didn't like any of those distros?

No, i liked them but I keep having problems installing software and so forth. I am looking for one that is easier, but fast.

yeah here is another life story ha ha
but when I got linux at first I was upset because i would download a program and have no idea what to do with it. I would really just click the RPM file and pray it worked..... then I started to learn and got a hang of rpms..... mainly finding one for my distro and architecture... then I wanted to learn tarballs yet another feat that is great I like this the best because well... I do. Now I try urmpi as much as i can I dont know why but i cant get the GUI for it to work so command is still cool. when I had redhat I LOVED apt-get and synaptic I think that the repositories are generally better but I like more stuff about mandy better... Dont make any jokes but I have gotta use mandy cause I do a lot of school work and need the gui and open office... if i wasnt id be goin all command line... well all I gotta say is test a few of the distros and find one YOU like, then learn what makes it what it is and learn it learn as much as you can I have been using linux for about 2months and cause I like to learn I can actually answer questions on this fourm..... well im done....

there's still no user-friendly install for linux....i think developers should turn their heads that way for a moment - i mean, an everyday windows user doesn't like using command line, but it's the only way for installing new softvare (not including software on your distro cd...) in M$, you just get the *.exe file, double-click it, and click a couple of "next" followed by "finish". making install procedure easier would bring lot of people to linux...if that's what we want (point-and-click)...maybe lindows or like should get it, as a step between M$ and "real linux", but if we start putting point-and-click all over the place...
rpm is the closest to that, but...

<<there's still no user-friendly install for linux....>>

Nonsense! Major distros are easier to install than MS. And faster.

you mean rpms? and if there's only tar?