Don't worry. Linux is like other Unix systems. There are only 400 commands you have to remember. You learn one of them every day. After two years you master all of them. And it's time to restart learning because you changed release and the syntax you learned changed.
I have 20 years experience, so I have no problem saying "I don't know how it works" and I type "man vmstat" in order to learn how to use the vmstat command (which is the Linux command I decided to learn today).

I know that this may sound stupid, but I think it might contribute to the discussion. I am a Windows user for the mere technicality of installing a distro, which has never worked for me, so I can't really say what the best Linux packaging is! Nevertheless, I can say which distribution seems the most promising, which means it has the best public relations: Ubuntu. Most definitely. From what I've heard and seen, I am just so sure that Ubuntu is the best, just like I'm sure I don't like my grandma's spinach casserole without having tasted it. I'm sure that their advertising is targeted at Linux newbies like me, and that advanced users will not see it the same way as me, but I hope that I still contributed something to this thread.

I wouldn't say there is a "best" distro of *nix. There's different distros for a reason, as people release them according to specific needs. Of course there are some with more features or ones that are easier to use for beginners. Ubuntu and Gentoo are two of my favourites. Gentoo for more advanced users, and Ubuntu for simplicity and ease.

ive tried ubuntu multiple times. My gripes with is that its GNOME (ya i know theres Kubuntu and Xubuntu...). I wish that you could select which environment to install, and it doesnt play as well with hardware as SuSE. SuSE seems to work with everything i through at it.

i personally like slackware...

I'd have to say Ubuntu! Just because i'm new to Linux and it has a very clean look and feel to it ^^

My "best distro" choice depends on how much time I have to maintain it...for example, on my desktop machine at home, I have Gentoo...since I need bleeding edge with a perfect development toolchain and I have time to maintain and upgrade a source-based distro. At work, I use Fedora Core 6, since I really don't have time to maintain it like I do with Gentoo...and I need stability so I can get some work done on it rather than getting work done to it. For my router, I use debian...it's stable as ****, and I don't want to worry about it...at all. My laptops run XP/FC6 dual boot since I need them to be updating really quickly

I Really Never Even Notice The Difference ;] As Long As Its In English, Fast, And Has Adobe/Shockwave On It + Internet Access,

I Basically Come Online To Play RPGs ;]

I Also Really Like Macs For Their XXL Screens And High Graphics

I Really Love That Supercool Glossy Look And That AWESOME BLUE And Silver/White Coloring ;]

Im A Neat Freek So I Like White And Black And Silver And Really Light Colors...

Anyway I Should Just Shut Up Now Cuz I Can Type On And On Forever ;]
ROFL,

I run, Fedora Core 4, and Ubuntu Feisty Fawn. And Ubuntu is just so pretty its hard to pass up on, ya know!? And im one for the eye candy. And Im also trying to learn some of the realy hardcore extreme uber stuff with fedora core so yeah, I realy like Ubuntu, and many other people recommend it!

I find Fedora to be the best distro.
I personally can't wait for Fedora 7 to come out soon.
I use Fedora alot and find it better than the other distros.