I've tried a batch of Linux distros in the past. This time around I'm using Ubuntu; it seems to be well-designed to just work for most things. I'm also poking at Ruby on Rails. The two do not seem to be a perfect match in that the Ubuntu folks are not fond of the Ruby gems installer, and the Ruby packages in the Ubuntu universe aren't always the latest. Install Ruby Rails on Ubuntu Edgy Eft was a big help in getting a working client side combination going.