Linux distro for newbie?

[luffy]

I know this question has been asked many times. This is not for me. I'm using Lubuntu and I'm happy with it.
My friend wants to try Linux. I'm thinking about give Linux Mint for her to try. Is Linux Mint XFCE or LXDE?
Any recommend?
Laptop Pentium M with 512MB ram. I worry about the wireless card built in won't work with some Linux distros?

[boyzee]

Yes i would suggest Linux Mint but hey im biased i love the thing each to there own.

I would suggest Linux Mint 9 Isadora which is LTS(Long term support release) and if she's coming straight over from Windows it will suite her very much.

As for her wireless card ive never had a problem yet and ive used a few it picks it up straight away.

[hellnoire]

Well, it depends on the laptop and wireless card built in. Why not tell us the brand and model, so we can do a bit of research for you?

I've had plenty of Wireless issues over the years, thanks to Linux. My laptop was unsupported, and now that I want to throw it out, it now has support.

Go figure.

[luffy]

Dell Latitude D400
http://www.dell.com/downloads/us/products/latit/d400_spec.pdf
Yes, she's coming straight over from Windows.

[hellnoire]

See if this works when you do. (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/bcm43xx) If it doesn't, then you're out of luck.

[luffy]

What Linux Mint Desktop for newbie and light on system resources? They have many versions.

[boyzee]

Xfce or LXDE will be fine but that's a debate in its self just google Xfce vs LXDE

Totally forgot about this but get your friend to take the Linux Test with Linux Distribution Chooser

Ive just took the test again and it suggests i use OpenSuSE as 1st choice Fedora as 2nd, Mandriva as 3rd, Kubuntu as 4th, Debian as 5th, Linux Mint 6th and Ubuntu as 7th choice.

[hellnoire]

Do not use Kubuntu or OpenSUSE, unless you enjoy fighting your OS for resources or in general, respectively.