General Discussion

I've been using Linux since.

Linux Mint is a good choice for beginners. The Mint community is friendly if you have questions.

https://www.linuxmint.com/

Installing Mint on newer machines might not be straightforward since these are locked down to some degree or another, presumably as a security feature. The procedures for installing Linux and making a machine your own will vary by machine.

Mint runs fine on older machines of the Windows 7 era. Here are the minimum requirements:

Over the years most of my computers have been diverted from the e-waste bins. I've lost count of how many machines I've installed Linux on.

If you've got a newer high end Windows or Apple machine it might be best to learn Linux on a second older machine or a Raspberry Pi.

The Raspberry Pi runs another variation of Linux and has another friendly community.

https://www.raspberrypi.com/

Raspberry Pi sells a ready-to-use computer for about $150. It can be plugged into any HDMI monitor.