Ubuntu vs Mint vs um, Other ... recommendations ?

[eppur_se_muova]

Last edited Fri Apr 11, 2014, 10:55 AM - Edit history (1)

I just picked up a couple of used Dell Optiplex 760's w/Core2Duo processors. Supposedly no HD, but actually had a 250GB drive. I'd like to set them up as dual- or even triple-boot systems -- winXP x64 is one possibility, but I'd like to begin my separation from Windows in earnest. I may try to turn one into a Hackintosh w/OSX 10.4.9.

I've only dabbled with Unix systems in the past (did my thesis research using Unix programs, but never a superuser) and have used a Ubuntu installer, but that HD failed. From what I can see of Ubuntu it seems OK, but I also have a Mint installer handy. I've heard Debian is more for hard-core techies, so I'm avoiding it. Any other OS's I should consider ? FreeBSD ? Most of the UNIX systems I've worked on are System V-derived, not BSD, so that might be too big a change.

For the longer term, I'd like to see good support for c compilers and maybe even c++ and Java. Better yet, actual IDE's under Linux.

If there's an OS OS you've fallen in love with, and it's not for the hard-core tech type, tell me what you like about it that other OS's don't have. Also, any horror stories of mistakes to avoid might help.

Also, any compatibility issues w/different OS's on different partitions ? I know Ubuntu advises installation of WinXP before Ubuntu, but I also understand there are other ways around that problem.