Can anybody suggest a good version of Linux for a beginner?

Ubuntu was made exactly for people just like you. You can try it without even removing Windows by using a Ubuntu Live CD/DVD: http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download Or you can install Wubi (which is Ubuntu on Windows): http://wubi-installer.org/ (I've had mixed results with Wubi though. I'd stick with the Live CD.)

Red Hat Open Solaris Slax

I'll answer the bit about programming first. The simple gist of it is that no OS is good or bad for programming. The differences will depend on what language you are using. C ties in very snuggly with System libraries, so if you are not careful you can end up writing something that is stuck on just one OS, but this is not how it has to be, just something that COULD happen. Other languages like Java, Python, ectra, are not tied to the OS architecture as much and with minimal effort be written and used on many different computers. To answer your main question, what version of Linux would be best to start out with. Would suggest Ubuntu. The only reasons for this are that there is a very large non-technical install base and LOTS of good help documents. As a second choice I would say Debian (fastest Linux install I have ever seen was using Debian). The real skills you are going to get out of using Linux are familiarity with Linux, familiarity with command lines, digging through all kinds of OS innards, reading and understanding technical documentation (some of which are BADLY written).

It seems to me like you are a novice coder. That is nothing to be ashamed of, we all were once, and we all needed some help in the beginning. I do not know what language you are starting, but I would recommend java as a first language if you have a choice. It is an easy to learn and widely implemented object oriented language, and best of all, you don't need linux or anything of the sort to start with it. The only real advantage to linux is it is open source. This therefore means it is much easier for people to code high level programs for it and you will find a much wider variety of C compilers and things of the sort for linux, but at your level this does not seem needed. Though I am a fan of Ubuntu, it is an easy to use and yet still very versatile OS. it is made to act similar to Windows operating environments but still have the basic linux tools there. You can take a look at Ubuntu and all its glory here: http://www.ubuntu.com/ but for starting with java, I would look at emacs. emacs is a highly powerful java compiler and coder. it will color code your code for you and notify you of syntax mistakes and has many many other features directed towards the novice and advance coder alike. It is not originally made for Windows, but many people have made guides for how to get it working since it has been ported to windows. You can check out a tutorial on how to get it up and running here: http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/math/ALee/emacs/emacs.html Finally, if you want a nice Java tutorial, I found this one and it seems to have all the basics in a nice, easy to understand format, so I'd check it out: http://www.cafeaulait.org/javatutorial.html#xtocid5001 Hope that helps!

As written above Ubuntu is good start. The best way to start is to have a computer like a PC dedicated to Linux/Ubuntu. It may be an old PC, not the bleeding edge, Ubuntu doesn't mind. Then find a book, there are plenty of books on Ubuntu. Linux/Ubuntu is like a violin: at the beginning it is a bit rough, but after a week or so, you will never go back.

yes Ubuntu is great for a beginner and once you use compiz fusion and all the free programs and how great it is to animate and custimize your pc , you will see the advantages over windows , also no need for protection either, Just ask questions in www.ubuntuforums.org so they can help you out. Best thing about ubuntu is it only takes 5 minutes to install the operating system and will install 95% of all your drivers durring the operating system install unlike windows when you have to pop in disk after disk or download drivers like crazy. But wait 7 days to get it because a new version of Ubuntu called Ubuntu 9.04 is coming out, and like someone said you can download wubi-installer on windows and it will install linux for you easily so when you turn on your computer you can select ubuntu or windows xp. I would say wait the 7 days and google wubi-installer 9.04 or if you don't want windows at all then just download and burn ubuntu 9.04 as a iso image, boot the disk when turning on the computer and format and install linux.

For a beginner who doesn't have a lot of hardware, Ubuntu is GENERALLY very good. If you want to program though, you will have to download and install the package "build-essential" to have access to the compiler and so forth. This is also true of anything derived from Ubuntu. Fedora is generally good for a beginner but you need at least a pentium M and a LOT of RAM. You get INSTANT access to the compiler, but the reason Ubuntu is so close to Debian is that Debian is so forgiving with older hardware (I have Debian Etch on a 1998 Pentium-MMX.). I would try to get used to more than one desktop too. Live CDs are a good way to try these things before installing them. If when you have room on your disk you can install a second desktop, I would. And boot from it occasionally just to get used to it. XFCE4 takes up a LOT less room than GNOME or KDE. Ubuntu is unique in being, with Kubuntu and Xubuntu, the only distro which differentiates between the desktops. You can still install it with no desktop and run it from the command line if that floats your boat. But with everyone else, no matter what desktop you install, you are said to be running the same Distro.. I would actually say, try Knoppix, which you run from a CD (the live CDs). Download version 5.1.1 because version 5.3.1 is a dvd-based version and 6.0 has a whole new and strange desktop called LXDE which is essentially guaranteed to make you angry. Knoppix is a version of Debian, which means it's similar to -- Kubuntu, except it has full and complete access to the compilers out of the box. If you have access to the net, with Kubuntu, do a search for "UNIX TUTORIALS" and try some of the things they suggest -- they are pretty much guaranteed to work. If you don't have access to the net, open a terminal and type "info<enter>". You will start to get some of the documentation. Not all of it will be easy to understand, but it's a start.

For programming just about any of the major Linux distros. would be suitable. As suggested there is Ubuntu. Take a look at the outstanding new release which is Ubuntu 9.04 https://wiki.ubuntu.com/JauntyJackalope/TechnicalOverview The Official Ubuntu Community covers almost everything from getting you up and running to more advanced tasks https://help.ubuntu.com/community Here is a detailed graphical tutorial on the installation of Ubuntu http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-ubuntu-8.10 the tutorial refers to Ubuntu 8.10 but is the same for Ubuntu 9.04 Also take a look at Linux Mint 6 (Main Edition) its easy to install easy to use and has much of the software you are likely to need preinstalled. Linux Mint 6 Release notes http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_felicia.php Linux Mint 6 Download http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=31 Linux Mint 6 installation tutorial (if you like it) http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-linux-mint-6-felicia You download the ISO. image of Linux Mint 6 then you need to create a Bootable CD from the ISO. This can easily be done using Nero Burning ROM or similar software. Linux Mint 6 can also be run straight from the LiveCD you have created without touching your Hard Drive. Screenshot of my custom LiveDVD of Mint 6 running Beryl 0.2.1 http://s266.photobucket.com/albums/ii256/Linux_Ubuntu_geek/?action=view&current=Screenshot-1.png LUg.