[morrbo]

I'd recommend Ubuntu also. However I can't stand their default desktop environment, so I'd either recommend Ubuntu mate, or (what I did) the latest and greatest Ubuntu, and then just sudo apt-get install cinnamon-desktop-environment which will give you a desktop with a start menu more akin to windows.

[orangepanda]

Ubuntu is a must have in every masochist’s toolbox

[selfhoster11]

Use pretty much any other distro and let us know which one is as useful for beginner users.