What is Linux?
Like Windows or MacOS, Linux is an operating system. The difference is that there are many different "distros," or distributions, of Linux - sort of like Windows 95, 98, 2000, and XP, only there are hundreds of them and they are constantly being updated.
Linux can be thought of as the core runtime of the operating system, with differing layers of interface built on top. The layers can produce completely different desktop experiences. Many distros market themselves toward a different demographic - for example Puppy Linux is for older computers and is very portable, while Ubuntu is user friendly and designed for professionals and casual users - much like Windows.
Linux is open source, which means the source code is available for anyone to look at and edit to their liking. Nearly every Linux distro is free to use as a consumer, and most are free for industry as well.
Which distribution of Linux is best for me?
The answer to this question depends upon your computing needs.
You could do a search through internet forums to find what other people with your computing needs use. You could also search using your computer model number, as certain distros work better on certain computers - usually due to hardware divers that are included in the distribution.
The following links may be helpful for choosing the right distro for you:
Linux.com Distro List
distrowatch
Linux Distribution Chooser
Feel free to post your favorite distribution!
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