What Linux OS for me?

[sastusbulbas]

Hi all,

Last time I used a Linux OS was with the 8.04 Handy Heron Ubuntu release, with an old PC. I have forgotten more than I remember but did have it running well with al the desktop whizz with the GPU below.

Recent problems getting it to work with a PPC have disheartened me a little but what I would like to do is run Linux on my upstairs PC for a while.

It's an Asrock 4CoreDual mobo with an E5200/2GB PC3500 ProLL/HIS IceQ3850 AGP/ graphics/640GB Sata drive with an IDE Samsung DVD drive.

It resides in a Silverstone Media case, connected wireless to the router and main PC used for streaming/viewing movies and listening to music, web etc

Currently has the Pre Release candidate W7 ultimate 64bit, which has ran out and only runs for 2 hours before restaring. So guess something easy to configure with a lot of media functionality would be nice?

Without having to try every distro out there as recommended by this forum I am rather hoping someone can give an example of a finished suitable OS example, I have two kids with a third on the way, all the family use these computers and I work quite a lot so don't want to waste too much time trying to get a distro to do some tasks and finding out I need to try five more.

I guess what I mean is, what Distro is closest to a finished OS and compairable to such, with all the drivers and hardare required for DVD/CD/photo's/wireless etc already installed or easy to configure? Which can be used along side and share with Windows 7 Ultimate (my other computer) and OSX 10.4 (my other computer) within a network/homegroup?

IE, when I want to watch a movie upstairs, WMC has it's library downstairs so it is streamed from the downstairs PC.

Any Linux OS recommendations?

[Dapper Dan]

Welcome to the forum sastusbulbas. I would stick with what you are already familiar with and go with a *buntu. I've not used it but I read where a lot of users like Mint which is based on Ubuntu and is supposed to already have a lot of programs included in the install. Straight Ubuntu is really good with hardware detection and configuration and has a very large support community if you have issues with any of your new hardware items.

[techieMoe]

Recent problems getting it to work with a PPC have disheartened me a little but what I would like to do is run Linux on my upstairs PC for a while.

You're not likely to have any easier a time with a PPC in the future. A lot of distributions have dropped support for that architecture all together.

I guess what I mean is, what Distro is closest to a finished OS and compairable to such, with all the drivers and hardare required for DVD/CD/photo's/wireless etc already installed or easy to configure? Which can be used along side and share with Windows 7 Ultimate (my other computer) and OSX 10.4 (my other computer) within a network/homegroup?

Any of the top 5 on DistroWatch will likely fit that bill. Ubuntu 10.04 comes out tomorrow, and I can say I've had very good experiences with the beta so far.

IE, when I want to watch a movie upstairs, WMC has it's library downstairs so it is streamed from the downstairs PC.

If you're specifically looking for a media-streaming distro you might consider MythBuntu, since you're already familiar with how Ubuntu works and it's designed for use on home theater PCs.

[pretmet]

ubuntu is pretty easy to start with.

[Luxr]

i am agree with Pretmet