hi, i have just been given fine instructions on how to install multiple os on my laptop. So now is the job of choosing which distro to use. i am leaning towards ubuntu as family recommend it and as far as i can tell so do most linux users. it is key that the distro be incredibly easy to use as i am a complete beginner. i do not need any specific features, just a good solid operating system so i can start a few projects and attempt to self teach/use forums to learn. thanks in advance.
craig

No distro is 'incredibly easy to use'. There is always a learning curve, especially for people who have become used to other operating systems and software. You need to allow for some frustrations; maybe it doesn't recognize the full resolution of the graphics card, maybe the wireless card doesn't work without some effort, maybe you can't find the software for a particular job, and so on. A general purpose Linux distribution will not have been customized for your particular computer the way that a Windows OEM version has been. Still, once it is setup, using Linux is a breath of fresh air.

Ubuntu is currently one of the most popular distros, particularly on the desktop/laptop. That doesn't mean it is the best, but it means there is a large community of users who can help with issues. It is a good place to start.

In Ubuntu, most of the configuration can be done from the GUI, which is an advantage for new linux users. It tends to use fairly recent kernels/drivers, which means that it is likely to recognize and work with more recent hardware. It is also relatively easy to access non-free software (from the multiverse repository).

But those things can also be disadvantages. GUI configuration is fine until something doesn't work the way it 'should'. Recent kernels have had less user testing (though Ubuntu does also have long-term support releases). And for some, overuse of non-free software defeats the purpose of using a free operating system.

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P.S. If you are installing both Windows and Linux, it is best to install Windows first (because the Linux bootloader grub will recognize both Windows and Linux).

I asked for that "incredibly easy" bit ha ha. thanks, Ubuntu it is then. maybe if i grasp ubuntu i will try a different distro
Craig

Ubuntu is the best of the "beginner friendly" distros imo. As Neonsignal stated though, there is a learning curve to using linux. Linux is not at all like Windows. You will need to do some reading and learning to get the most out of any linux distro.
Here is a good site for getting started with Ubuntu:
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/
Here is another:
http://members.iinet.net/~herman546/

Not quite so; no Windows version (OEM or not) is customized for any computer that I'm aware of; it's just as general as modern, "general purpose" desktop Linux systems are. The illusion of Windows being customized to a particular PC is because somebody put an effort of turning a general Windows installation into a semi-customized one by adding all the 3rd party drivers and applications that are to be expected from the result -- they [3rd party software] don't come from Microsoft and are not included in any version of Windows as such (sort of like customizing a Linux installation and then making a new installation media out of it). It's the same if a store sells computers with Ubuntu and a selection of "extra" software to make it a tailored package. In some (Windows) cases this is automated so that a custom installation media is prepared that combines Windows and the rest of the software, putting it in in one go, and perhaps leaving the installation at such point that the user then finally fills in name etc. and gets the feel of having bought a "customized for this computer" Windows installation. The same applies to recovery partitions in some cases: they contain not only the usual Windows setup files, but third party software that is pulled along. I've met personally some cases though where a private computer seller has sold computers that were loaded this way, but when the system needed to be reinstalled, it was done from an "original" media and all the extra drivers were missing after the setup, making life a bit hard because I needed to pull them off manufacturer websites myself.

Many Linux distributions also have the plus of allowing you to try the system as a live version prior to installing it, which is sort of a first hand test for critical hardware support. That's not a bullet-proof way to make sure it works, but if the live version runs, it's a good sign. And should something be missing after setup, it can usually be downloaded from the web just as one would do with Windows if there wasn't a tailored installation at hand.

If you install Ubuntu, know that they just released a new version (9.10, note it's 10 not 1). Some things like configuring bootloader have changed from the previous version (which used Grub Legacy, unlike the new version which uses a to-be-Grub 2)..so when ("if") you are looking for guides on how to configure something, pay attention to the version it's meant for, and make sure it works the same way in the system you have. Most things do, but it doesn't harm to check.