If you're gonna give Linux a go, I'd suggest SuSE as a first time distro. That's what I started with and I learned a lot from the experience. While I've moved on to Gentoo, I wouldn't recomend that for someone with no Linux experience. While Gentoo's not that different once it's installed, it's installation can be a problem for those unfamilliar with Linux. SuSE is, in my opinion, a good choice for a first time Linux install and, given time, will get you familiar and comfortable with Linux systems in general.