So I have said that Linux is one of the keys to creating a truly free flow of information in the computer world. There is not just one kind of Linux. There are thousands of different versions availible. Most versions of Linux are completely free and all versions of Linux are OPEN SOURCE. Different versions are geared towards different uses. So with so many versions availible to you where should you begin?

1. Ubuntu - www.ubuntu.com

My personal favorite. I have this distro running at all but one of my 4 computers at home. The only reason it's not running on the fourth is because it's out of commission. When it's back up it too will run Ubuntu. There are a lot of reason to love this distro. Especially if you are a first time user of the Linux system. First off it's based on the widely supported and secure foundation of Debian (Another Linux distro although not recommended for beginners). It also has the easiest installation process I have ever seen, for any operating system, ever. Answer the questions as they appear and at some point it installs. Easy. It can also function as a LIVE CD which allows you to try it out to see if you like it without having to install anything or change your hard drive in any way.

2. Fedora - http://fedoraproject.org

Not my favorite out of the bunch but still a very easy to use and very reliable distro. It's well supported as it's made by Red Hat (A company which also makes an Enterprise version of Linux). The installation for Fedora can be a little more challenging for those of you who are not great with operating systems work, but it's still a fairly simple process that uses a graphical display to guide you through.

4. Mandriva - www.mandriva.com

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