I've used Debian, Ubuntu, and Xubuntu in the past for this purpose. However, the constant updates in the Ubuntu repositories, even on a "stable" version like 12.04 LTS are just a killer. Several packages are updated and pushed every day. Often, these updates break core functionality or introduce bugs; so I've turned off the automatic updates in favor of upgrading to the new release every 6 months. Except, even with an i5 and a SSD, the upgrade process takes hours. Simply wiping sda1 and reinstalling from the ISO is often faster.
For the next upgrade, I'm considering the new ASUS chromebox. If the included chrome OS isn't up to the task, I can always blow it away and install a normal Linux distro on it.
Slashdot Mirror
I've used Debian, Ubuntu, and Xubuntu in the past for this purpose. However, the constant updates in the Ubuntu repositories, even on a "stable" version like 12.04 LTS are just a killer. Several packages are updated and pushed every day. Often, these updates break core functionality or introduce bugs; so I've turned off the automatic updates in favor of upgrading to the new release every 6 months. Except, even with an i5 and a SSD, the upgrade process takes hours. Simply wiping sda1 and reinstalling from the ISO is often faster.
For the next upgrade, I'm considering the new ASUS chromebox. If the included chrome OS isn't up to the task, I can always blow it away and install a normal Linux distro on it.
Don't forget the other sites that have popped up post-beta as well: Technocrat and Pipedot Choice is good.