Which brand or version of Linux is the easiest to install and use?

In my opinion: The easiest Linux version to install/use is the version that comes pre-installed on your well-tested Linux-factory-preinstalled computer.

For example (no personal experience with this company, just pointing them out as an example): https://www.system76.com/

If, on the other hand, you are planning to install Linux yourself on a computer you already own, then please tell us about your hardware, especially the CPU, RAM, video card, wireless card, etc. Depending on your hardware, it may be that certain distros will give you better results than others.

My first distro was Ubuntu back in 2007. I don't use Ubuntu much any more these days (preferring Debian and CentOS) but it certainly got me off to a good start.

The 'which distro' qn has been asked 100s or 1000s of times and answered x10 those numbers.
You should really have a look at the top 10 or so listed at www.distrowatch.com
Its a very subjective choice.
Luckily, they are mostly free and many have a Live CD option which enables you to run a copy from CD/DVD without installing, just to see if you like it.
Of course its a bit slower that way and you can't generally save any changes.
It depends on what sort of experience you want, what do you want to use it for; if you want to go very similar to MSWin, try LinuxMint.
For a server I'd recommend Centos
You should read this http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm and as many of the other similar threads as possible; you'll get everybody's favourite (all different )

1 members found this post helpful.

For new users I recommend Ubuntu or Mint. They are the easiest to install. Be aware that Ubuntu uses a desktop that is somewhat proprietary, and that not everyone likes. You can easily install other desktops though. Kubuntu and Xubuntu are well supported versions that substitute KDE and XFCE, respectively. Mint will probably give you the best out-of-the-box experience. Ignore people who recommend small oddball distributions, they're just pushing their pet favorite without giving any thought to how much trouble it might be for a new user. Ubuntu, Mint, and Mepis are some of the best Debian-based distributions. Fusion and Mageia are some of the best Fedora-based distributions. OpenSuse is also good. If you want only pure free software, Fedora or Debian are good choices, but a lot of stuff you might want will not work out of the box without tweaks that will make it non-free (mp3, dvds, etc.).

I second this. For me, Ubuntu just worked out of the box. However, I have been using Linux off and on for over 10 years, and I found it to be just a little too easy for my tastes. Nevertheless, it is a great distro for those new to Linux and has all the power of Linux, i.e. even though it is great for beginners it is still a full-blown Linux OS. Kubuntu and Xubuntu are the same but with different desktop environments. If I were to recommend one, I'd recommend either Kubuntu or Xubuntu because, as has been pointed out, the Unity desktop environment of Ubuntu is still new and not fully accepted yet.

Welcome to LQ!

1. If you have a laptop, you want one that makes it easy to encrypt your files. Otherwise, stolen computer with personal data = possible stolen identity. Examples are Fuduntu, Mepis, Mint, ZevenOS.

2. Unlike Windows, you get to choose your GUI
KDE: all the eye-candy the heart could desire, providing you have a fast computer and 1GB of memory: Mepis or Mint
Mate: traditional, plainer: Mint
Xfce: ditto: Mint, ZevenOS

3. Go to http://distrowatch.eu/ and you'll find links to reviews. Read my reviews on this site. Get a CD/DVD and try without installing.

4. Above all, read the instructions before installing.

Have fun!