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metro.:
So I'm debating running a Linux Kernel on my laptop because it seems like it's something I should learn.

Any suggestions? I've heard that Mint is rather nice, minimal and user friendly enough for me to learn command line while not just throwing myself into the deep end.

I know pretty much nothing about Linux, suggestions welcomed.

Slasha:
I'm using Ubuntu on my ASUS laptop. The installation is very easy and most things worked out of the box, like special keys or touchpad. The new unity desktop is a bit curious though, especially when you're coming from a Windows system. Still, Ubuntu has a very helpful community, so I recommend it for Linux starters.

Duki3003:
While Linux Mint is not a bad choice for a beginner, I'd recommend to just go with Ubuntu.
Mint uses Ubuntu as a codebase either way, therefore any updates take a while longer to appear when they are released by Ubuntu team.

Command line is fairly simple to comprehend, and everything can also be done with a package manager.
Pick your flavour (Kubuntu or Ubuntu), everything is made simple - when you install the OS just follow a guide to install mplayer2 and smplayer and enjoy. Play 10bit files and every other media type you'll find.

nstgc:
I personally prefer Mint over Ubuntu.

Freedom Kira:
Mint or Ubuntu, like everyone else said. These two distros are the most user/noob-friendly.

Ubuntu gets a rehaul every six months, signified by its release number, which is (year).(month). For example, the latest version is 11.10, released in October (10th month) 2011. The next one is due to come out in April (12.04). Each rehaul requires either a reinstall or a long upgrade process; if you don't upgrade, you start exposing your system to security issues that are no longer being fixed as they are discovered, since the Ubuntu team starts focusing on the new version.

Mint is based off Ubuntu, like Duki said, but the interface is fairly different. I haven't really used it enough to really say much, but I have explored Mint 12 a bit, and I can say it's pretty cool to use once you get used to it, and is pretty awesome once you get to know your way around. Stability-wise, because of the nature of Mint's being developed from Ubuntu's code, Ubuntu gets updates earlier and therefore is more or equally stable at any given time. Looks-wise, Mint had the upper hand over GNOME Classic, but with the new Unity interface that Ubuntu brought recently, the're more or less on par, though I personally think Mint's logo looks nicer. Usability-wise, I'd say Unity (Ubuntu) is just a bit more intuitive to use than Mint.

That's all aesthetics, though. I started with Ubuntu (about three years ago now), and I think you should do the same. Experiment with other distros after you're familiar with the command line, because that will probably be the best life-saver.

Finally, the most important qualities to have when learning Linux are the desire to learn and the courage to try. The best way to learn is to break stuff and figure out how to fix them (that's really how I learned how to do a lot of stuff, believe me). Don't be afraid to screw around with stuff. If you majorly mess something up, you can always just reinstall.

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