My first post will start off with how to pick and choose a version of Linux. Some people complain that are too many (over 300 flavors) and it keeps new users away. You shouldn’t feel scared about that. What it offers is a huge diversity that allows your computer to be customized to the way you are, rather than conforming to a system that doesn’t work for you.

If you are totally new to computers and Linux, then I suggest Ubuntu. It is easy to use and there is a ton of support. You can find it here: Ubuntu

If you are more experienced with computers but new to Linux then I suggest Mint Linux. It is based off of Ubuntu but has a nicer experience, especially if you are a Windows user. If you are a Mac user then I point you back to Ubuntu. You can find Mint Linux here: Mint

If you do more work with graphic design and sound production then you should check out Ubuntu Studio. You can find it here: Ubuntu Studio

If you are interested in version besides Ubuntu, then check out these. One of the issues I have encountered is that installing software can be more challenging. On Ubuntu it is very easy to find deb files and install. On these other system sometimes it works and sometimes you have to do the install manually.

Open Suse
Fedora
Dream Linux

Beyond these you are stepping into advanced Linux distros and should learn about Linux before you try them. You can check out all the different version and their development here: Distro Watch

Test Test Test
Before you install any of these versions of Linux, I strongly suggest that you download the live CD and try it out first. This way it won’t alter your system in a way that could make your experience be really bad.

The second issue is that you may not have another hard drive to install on. If this is the case and you are running Windows then I suggest using Wubi to install right within Windows. Wubi