Linux Mint

In short: Linux Mint is a beginner-friendly distribution started in 2006 by Clément Lefebvre and built on Ubuntu (or Debian as LMDE).

In more detail: It comes with codecs, drivers and a familiar desktop.

In Depth

Details

Desktop variants: Cinnamon (main version), MATE, Xfce. Known for stability and easy use. See Ubuntu, Debian.

See also: Linux, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora