What Linux OS is the best for me?

[OogaLooga]

Here's my comp specs:
Acer Aspire 5739
2.1Gz dual core intel
Nvidia GeForce GT 130M (i had some issues about half a year ago finding a driver for this with Ubuntu 9.04 I think)
4 Gigs of RAM
1 gig of vRAM in the GPU
250gig hdd

I installed Ubuntu Thru WuBi, and I liked it, but i found myself having to keep using Vista as a crutch because of school work and stuff. But now my comp is wiped clean and running a fresh installation of Vista because vista got a virus... So now that all my stuff is gone and I have no more school left I'm thinkin about running a version of Linux and just using WinE and Virtual Box for the few, but important apps I use on vista, like Photoshop (I like better than GIMP i think), AutoCAD (I like it, and I don't like LinuxCAD, must have), iTunes (For ipod syncing, if ipod touches can by synced thru linux do tell!!!).

I've already ran Ubuntu, its simple and easy to use, but someone was suggesting Ubuntu Studio... whats the difference? haha =]

I also read a bit (really not much) about Fedora 13 and Mint (idk what version).

I can find my way around OSes I'm natural to Windows, but Ubuntu is easy to use, so whatever version is the most effective I can certainly figure out how to use it well.

So what are all the versions of Linux are there and how are they good? What might be best for me?

Thanks so much!
OogaLooga

[Rubberman]

Download and burn some live CD/DVD images and try them out. Which distribution+version that is best for you is a personal matter - kind of like which vendor's sneakers do you like best and fit your feet best? With Linux, unlike Windoze, one size does not fit all. In fact, I use two or three different versions of Linux, depending upon the situation. My main workstation/server runs CentOS, most of my laptops run Ubuntu 9.04, I have an ARM board that runs Debian Etch, and an Android phone. So, that's 4 versions I use regularly... Personally, I like all of them, for different reasons.

[oz]

What Linux OS is the best for me?

Hello and welcome!

It's actually you that are supposed to tell us which one is the best for you, and you'll be able to do just that once you've tried a few distributions to see which ones best suit your computer hardware, and personal tastes in an OS. You can check the link in my signature for lots of good information about getting started with Linux. There are also a couple of quizzes there that might help you in deciding where to start.

Best of luck to you, and whatever you do, don't forget to have fun with it!

[Cobalt60]

Well, I personally am a big fan of Debian. Especially since Ubuntu is Debian based, I think it may be a good next logical step for you. One of the reasons I chose Debian is that it has the largest free software repository of any operating system.

Also, I like setting up non x86 systems. So, I have installed Debian on x86, PowerPC, and Sparc PCs, with plans on other architectures as well. It is nice to be able to use one distribution on all of these various machines (though others may equal Debian in this aspect, Im not sure, but I believe Debian does support more architectures than any of the other distributions).

Another reason I like Debian is I find that the Synaptic Package Manager is very nice. However, I havent really tried any other package managers so I have nothing to compare against.

A long time ago (2002?), I tried SUSE. I liked it. The next distribution I want to try is Fedora, and OpenSuse. I also want to try Ubuntu again. Theres a few others I want to try as well. So my advice is try a bunch of them out, and decide for yourself. But, if I had to vote for only one to try, it would be Debian.

-Chris P

[MikeTbob]

Hello and Welcome.
I agree with the previous posts, you should find what's best for you. Here is a link for a Linux Distribution Chooser. It's really good for helping you decide which distro would be best suited for you to start with.
zegenie Studios Linux Distribution Chooser

[rokytnji]

So what are all the versions of Linux are there

The Linux Home Page at Linux Online

DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.

how are they good

YouTube - Frankenstein - Alone, bad... Friend, good...

[MASONTX]

I agree with the advice to go to distrowatch.com, the top 10-20 distros should have everything you would want to start with.

Ubuntu has been the number one download for several years, so I started there and then tried out other distros on live cd's. I wound up coming back to Ubuntu for my desktop, and Puppy for an old laptop.

Go, play, have a ball!