I started out using Redhat 5.2 back in 1999. The installation was not too bad, but the minute a new version was available, I tried it out. The only benefit was ease of install. Redhat v6.2 and Mandrake are very easy to install, but the major drawback is stability. This weekend I decided to try out slackware. I have heard so many good things about it, including how difficult it was to install. I went ahead and even though it took me all day I got it up and running.
Very impressed with slackware and I know I'll never go back to Redhat or Mandrake.
For all the beginners out there, don't be intimidated by Slackware. Yea, it might not have all the pretty colors et al, but it's worth it. :)