Fed-up with windows and mac shananigans

joseph Kramer writes: i've been lurking here for years and seen many recommendations for a linux flavor that works. what i'm really looking for is linux that works without constant under-the-hood tweaking(ala early win flavors,3.1, 95/98).
Does such an OS exist? I'm familiar with mac since tiger and windows since it was just another dos program.
(for the record i am not a IT tech), i just need something to work with the mechanical equipment it controls.
any recommendations?