New to Ubuntu

[wolfen1086]

Hello everybody, I'm ken, brand new to Ubuntu at 50 years old, I learn pretty fast, and I have a minor problem right now with Windows that has made me decide to install Linux, baa use the windows problem is a Microsoft thing and they don't know what to do ( go figure huh).
Anyway my question is this, which Distro do I need for the common computer operate, with a home network 10 or 13? I'm currently downloading both and I have a clean Hdd to put one of them on

[deadflowr]

Either one of the two listed here should work for you.

Welcome to the forums.

By the way, what do you mean by 10 or 13?
Ubuntu doesn't have a 10 or 13.
Ubuntu versions go by year and month of release.
So the two available right now are 12.04(April 2012)
And 13.04(April 2013)
Aside from releases every April, There are releases in october.
Releases come in six month cycles.

[VMC]

Hello everybody, I'm ken, brand new to Ubuntu at 50 years old, I learn pretty fast, and I have a minor problem right now with Windows that has made me decide to install Linux, baa use the windows problem is a Microsoft thing and they don't know what to do ( go figure huh).
Anyway my question is this, which Distro do I need for the common computer operate, with a home network 10 or 13? I'm currently downloading both and I have a clean Hdd to put one of them on

I'm guessing that "home network 10 or 13", means your referring to Ubuntu 10.04 vs Ubuntu 13.04. If that's what you mean, then I would suggest Ubuntu 12.04, as its the newest and its EOL is 2017. Personally, I have found It more stable than the current releases.

[farrinux]

For the novice like me I would suggest Ubuntu 12.04 LTS. The LTS means Long Term Support. A side from the LTS versions the other or regular release versions ( every 6 months) are only supported I think 18 months. After that you either run the unsupported version. Meaning no bug or security fixes or you upgrade. I prefer not to upgrade so much, so I use the LTS versions.

[deadflowr]

@farrinux, unfortunately 12.10 was the last release to get 18 months support.
From here on in all standard/non-LTS-releases get only 9 months.
LTS will continue to get the increased 5 years though.

I think the reason behind the support halving was that most of those running the interim releases typically upgrade to newer releases soon after the new release hits the shelves, so to say.

Expect an onslaught of threads demanding various releases get support increases.

[oldfred]

Somewhat depends on hardware.
If very new system, you may need the latest kernel, video & drivers with the newest version.
If a main stream system from the last 5 or 6 years and more than 2GB of RAM and decent video card, then 12.04 full Ubuntu.
If older system with less RAM or limited video, then 12.04 Xubuntu or Lubuntu may be better choice.