skimmed through comments (Score 1)

First, you can make any distro look any way you want. Next, PCLinuxOS IS a good distro but it is based on Mandriva, not Debian. Mandriva was originally based on Red Hat. Second, it's been my experience that "regular" Windows users don't know what an operating system is and don't even know the difference when you spring on them a different OS. The only real concern you should have is security fixes. So then you have to go with an OS that will tell them something needs to be updated, and then guides them through the update. Ubuntu does have an automatic update feature now, but that seems like it could cause problems. This all being said, I just did a minimal install of Ubuntu and then installed LXDE and a few other useful "normal user" apps on a box for family members who don't really know how to run a computer. They aren't having any problems and haven't said anything about the difference between that and Windows XP.