The choose of a distro is the neverending subject in the linux forums.
The best? Choose one, play whith it and if dont like it, try with another
Mandrake always has been known as easy.
Ubuntu is fighting to obtain this place.
The "true free distribution" is Debian but is a little hard to begin with it.
Ups! i forgot Gentoo in the group of "true free distribution" but is harder than Debian for a noob