Linux MINT is related to Ubuntu and is *much* easier to use as a general desktop (it is built for computer users, not primarily geeks).

For an adventure in portability, try SLAX Linux from a USB flash key. Pendrivelinux.com has lots of info and howtos for SLAX as well as other ultra mobile Linux options.

www.mepis.org

ubuntu is, well, not that nice, of course their fans will jump on that, but really, why do you want a distro that just works, that looks like a child made it, and well, ain't that great, when you can go with either opensuse, have a polished distro, be part of a distro whose company invest more than any other distro into linux, into gnome and kde.

I've tried the rest, and I always end up back at opensuse, nothing really compares to it, and the 11 alpha's just show it is getting even better.

PCLinuxOS 2007
Best of ones I have tried.

Ubuntu as best gnome linux.
PCLinuxOS as best kde linux.

Debian and Slackware are great.
If you are a masochist.

PCLinuxOS is my choice. I have tried them all and pclos stands head and shoulder's above them. I have been truly spoiled by this great distro.

PCLinuxOS 2007 is great BUT
If you have very new hardware
PCLinuxos MiniMe 2008 might be an
easier install (newer kernel).
It's a base system, then add the only
apps that you want.

Full Version of 2008 is not out yet.

I have to go with PCLinuxOS MiniMe. It's a bare bones KDE installation, that one builds on to add only the apps one personally wished to run.

It can be as sparse, or fully loaded, as one sees fit. Synaptic offers an easy path to apps, and as it's a rolling upgrade distribution, there's no need to reinstall every six months or so, to be fully up to date.

I used SUSE for nine years, and loved it, but recent kernel patches broke some of my pre existing hardware functionality, so switched to PCLinuxOS, my backup installation, about the time the trial releases for the 2007 release were being offered. It's just been too sweet to give up, and the MiniMe release is the best yet, for users already familiar with Linux apps, and knowing which apps they desire.

A truly great distribution.

PClinuxOS.

There's a reason why it's dubbed "the distro-hopper stopper".

It's a sure cure for that itch.

Personally I would recommend PCLinux as its by far the most reliable, advanced and easy to use distro Ive tried. As a second I would say vector linux as it has a large and helpful community, the best implementation of Xfce Ive seen, and is improving very quickly.