If they are willing and able to learn something with a radically different interface: Fedora.

If they aren’t: Linux Mint. There is nothing easier for a former windows user than Mint and it has a ton of built in tools for any kind of user. Not to mention forums support and massive package repos (+ built in flatpak).

You got the typical recommendations already, my advice would be to avoid most of the niche distros. I just don't think they offer much over something that is more mainstream, especially for your first foray.

The first distro I ran for any significant length of time was Fedora.

Linux Mint for everyday users, Pop!OS for gamers, OpenSUSE or Manjaro for thechy people with already good windows skills.

Why not Ubuntu? I don't trust Canonical. They're a bussiness, and they made several questionable decisions in the past.

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is the typical go-to.

Id recommend pop!_os personally.

Fedora is another great option.

The reality is, as a new Linux user, you'll probably hop around quite a bit. I say go for it! Try out everything you want.

I really liked Crubchbang back in the day, but since it (and bunsen) have disappeared, after some distro hopping I settled on Lubuntu. It's nice and simple like Gnome 2 or Windows xp. Nothing surprising, and nothing trying too hard. Very intuitive for long time GUI users like myself, with none of the stability issues that plagued actual GUIs from the past.

Honestly I've been very satisified with ostree-based distros, specifically Fedora Kinoite (Silverblue for GNOME) and it's very hard to fuck it up and it encourages flatpak usage.

Other than that, the recommendations on the article are pretty good.

Sidenote: I love the little arrows you had for links, how did you achieve that?

Stepping into the labyrinth of Linux distros, are we? It's like choosing your first pet, and equally as exhilarating (and can be as much work for the first time owner).

I'd say, cozy up with Ubuntu ( a current daily Arch and openSUSE user myself).

Why, you ask? Let me paint you a picture.

Imagine Ubuntu as a Labrador - friendly, accommodating, and doesn't chew up your furniture (or in this case, your patience).

First off, Ubuntu's UI is intuitive and user-friendly. It’s like it holds your hand through the twilight zone of the terminal. Also, it's well-documented, with a vibrant community ready to assist when you hit a snag. And here's the cherry on top - it’s Debian-based. This means a massive software repository, making installations a breeze. So you can spend more time enjoying the Linux landscape, and less time wrestling with software dependencies.

So while it isn't perfect (or everyones cup of tea), I still believe it provides th easiest out-of-the-box experience for new Linux users.

As you grow in confidence, feel free to explore the wilder breeds. 😉 Happy journey!