Total of 4, not including Knoppix. Checked out both Linspire and Freespire at someone's recommendation. Wasn't turned on. Read about Ubuntu. Settled on Ubuntu (Hardy on one machine and Intrepid Kubuntu on another). Investigated Fedora later for the newest box. Installed it and bought the "bible" It's too cutting edge for me. I went back to Ubuntu--Karmic. The Intrepid box died an unseemly death due to something shorting out the mobo, hard drive, and power supply. Probably cheap parts. The Karmic box is doing okay so far. The Hardy box is this one I'm on right now, and it's actually my favorite. There might be better distros for everyday use, but I'm now pretty comfy with Ubuntu. You have to learn to add those various repositories that you have to add to have the latest stuff and the nonfree goodies. And, now, Knoppix for fixing problems. Plus I'm going to noodle around with Knoppix as the O/S just to get good and familiar with it for those emergencies that happen.