Moving this George's response to this thread:

George Gambill wrote:
---[clip some good stuff]---
 > Conclusion:
 >
 > If we are going to hand out CD sets (to newbies) with a document check
 > list) covering the decision points (I have just such a check list for 
 > RH 8.0), I vote for Red Hat.
 >
 > If we are going to install (for the newbie) and teach how to update
 > (apt-get I think), I vote for Debian.  BTW, a presentation on how to
 > update under Debian might make a good presentation.
 >
 > Do we get to vote on this???
 >
 > YMMV
 >
 > George

There are two, well, three decision points here.

1-Do we really want a preferred distro?
2-If so, which distro?
3-And thereafter, which desktop?

(Maybe the 3 falls out of 2 since most distros have a default or 
preferred desktop already.)

If someone buys into 1, they must do so understanding that their 
personally preferred distro may not be picked at 2.  ie. no sour grapes 
at 2 if you agreed to 1.

On the other hand (and to throw more fuel on the debate), does the 
entire group need to decide this?  Other groups have a designated 
support coordinator who leads a group of voluteers on support issues. 
That sub-group could decide on the preference based on their own reasons 
(see http://lugod.org/projects/lert/).  Maybe this is something better 
under the direct supervision of AZOTO and PLUG just follows what the 
AZOTO support group decides.  AZOTO could accept $ donations for timely 
assistance.  PLUG has no structure or mechanism for donations.

Alan