I would have to recommend Ubuntu, Ubuntu has proved to be a very good distro for new users with minimal configuration, most of the time it works right off the bat. I have actually ordered 100 x86, and 30 PPC Ubuntu cd's to give to people at my college to use instead of winblows. I have successfully converted most of my less "techy" friends to linux (and i havent even recieived the CD's yet, just think of the possibilities, lol)
ps. no offense to you uber leet ubuntu users, its great for you guys too, lol, great for anyone really, billi Hates is prob using it as his main desktop OS and just not telling anybody, that bastard knows windoze will never match up to anything *NIX, and that includes OS X, which is BSD based me tinks.