Thinking about playing with Linux

OK, first, the rules are NO BASHING of any OS, whether it be a flavor of Linux, Windows, etc…! I want some constructive opinions regarding the flavors of Linux.

I have an older workstation that I rarely use. I really don’t want to upgrade it to Windows 7, and I hate to see it just sitting there, so I’ve been thinking about seeing if I could load Linux on it.

We have Linux servers at work, but no workstations, so I have zero experience.

The question is, what flavor of Linux would you recommend for a newbie who’s thinking about dipping her toes in the Linux pool?