I’m not sure how techy @Kewlio250@lemmy.zip is, and Distrowatch can be pretty overwhelming, so here are a couple of recommendations from someone who’s tried a bunch of distros:
Linux Mint: Very close to Windows 7 in experience, with some modern touch-ups here and there. What I’d recommend for longtime Windows users.
Elementary OS: Gives off a lot of macOS vibes for all the right reasons, and while it’s not very customizable, a ton of care has been put into the experience. Ideal for someone with basic computer needs that wants something that just works. (The website asks you to donate; if you can’t or don’t want to, enter $0 as a custom donation amount to get it for free.)
Fedora Workstation: Genuinely different experience from Windows and macOS. It reminds me of the experiments in the early '10s in creating a “convergent” interface, but this is stable, functional, and mature. Really shines if you have a touchpad.
I’m not sure how techy @Kewlio250@lemmy.zip is, and Distrowatch can be pretty overwhelming, so here are a couple of recommendations from someone who’s tried a bunch of distros: