Check these sites for more info. Places to get Linux. Red Hat linux is a great choice for beginners.
Mandrake is another good starter package.
UW Madison FTP site Most Linux distributions and programs are free through what is called open source. You can buy the products also which will usually include some form of support from the maker. From Redhat's site. But, there are more than 700 RPMs taking up 540 MB and the FTP servers stay pretty busy. If you can't connect, or want a site closer to you, try one of the many mirror sites around the world.