Which linux distribution should I install

I would suggest Centos as it is free, an exact clone of Red Hat and is a well supported distribution. The latest release Centos 6 has support until 2020. You can install a minimal version easily using Fluxbox as your Desktop from the tutorial at http://minimallinux.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/centos-6-minimal-install.html

Wow I am drowning in replies of the Ubuntu fanboys.

Ubuntu is a good Linux Distribution if you like Windows, but you are switching to Linux for a reason.

Ubuntu does not in any way adhere to the FOSS (Free Open Source Software)

Ubuntu is a Social Desktop that is not easy to use at all. It is catered towards people who do not know any better. If you use Ubuntu do not plan on switching Linux distributions. Chances are you are not going to learn anything about Linux, and will be stuck with that piece of crap software that they call a Distribution.

Red Hat / CentOS / Fedora / Free BSD are all much better solutions.

If you would prefer a debian solution then you should just use Debian, in which Ubuntu is based off of.

Whatever you do make sure that you do your research on this. Linux is free, and Open Source. Why would you want your Linux Distribution to have software that is not free, and open? What is the point of switching then? @Ubuntu

I also want to point out that Ubuntu feels the need to tell it's users what Desktop Environment to use, and does not willingly support the others. There so called Unity desktop is crap, and based on GNOME. Unity drains resources, not very configurable, tells you what you what it is going to do, and hardly lets you do what yo want with out the risk of something messing up so bad that it becomes pointless, it is hard to navigate, does not care about Linux standards, and so on.

Why use a Linux Distribution that claims to be free and open when it is shipped with all third party software which is not free and open. Way off the mark and vision of Richard Stallman and Linus Torvalds (among with others) who is and always will be the creators of Linux.

What is Linux, and What is Ubuntu? Long story short Ubuntu is not Linux. It unfortunately uses the Linux kernel so it somehow is considered a Linux Distribution.

As you (Ubuntu Fanboys) are complaining about how wrong I am read the above mentioned again, then realize who is trying to mimic Microsoft, and is funded by a company that cut a deal with Microsoft for some cheesy improvement's the Microsoft Virtualization World. Also who admits that Open Source software is no good for anyone, and has admitted to buying up as many open source patients just so they can attempt to destroy FOSS, and Linux. That would not be Microsoft would it?

If your OK with buying into that Ubuntu crap then you might as well be using a MAC.

Thank You to Richard Stallman, Brian Kerrigan, Linus Torvalds, and others (Too many to list) for keeping your standards. You guys are awesome, and have created one of the greatest software movements in the history of mankind.

My post would not be complete without quoting Linus and adding a few to the list myself.

F$$$ You Nvidia, Ubuntu, Canonical, Microsoft, Apple, Oracle, just to name a few.

PS: I used dollar signs just to show the representation and intentions of the above mentioned companies.