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[MadMalkavian]

Windows ME for maximum trolling.

No, if you want maximum trolling you should get your kid a Tandy 1000 SX-1. That's a computer that builds character.

[Alastar]

If you want to keep Windows on it: Vista, 7 and 8 are in the same weight class. If one doesn't overtax the machine, the others won't either.

Vista's got a dodgy reputation, but that stems from being the biggest change under the hood and having been released too early with lots of issues, 3rd parties lagging behind with driver support initially, and being too heavy for many machines installed with it at the time they came out.
None of this matters any more, it'll do in most circumstances.

Seven is a glorified Vista Service Pack with a moderately useful interface update and little more. People loved it because it didn't break anything and wasn't called Vista.
Hardly worth spending money or effort to upgrade from Vista, but if you have both lying around go for it.

Eight changed little on the desktop side of things. Performance mostly unchanged, with some smoke and mirrors (e.g. it seems to boot fast because it didn't shut down in the first place - default is a dodgy partial hibernate ).
The new interface with its assorted apps is pretty useless if you don't have a touchscreen, but search-based interaction has become much better: hit windows key, type whatever you want to do. About time, because Windows' layout of nested configuration screens stinks.
If you get a new Windows version I'd get this one... despite controversial and occasionally tacky design.

[hops]

Just go with plain Windows 8 just to avoid bullshit.

[Sensei]

Windows 7 is nice and reliable and any computer that can run Vista will run 7. I doubt it would mater for a 10 year old but personally I ran into a hell of a ton of problems with Vista magically deciding that I wasn't an admin for the purpose of specific, random files when I actually was and I had to edit registries to fix it so screw vista.

[gigaraptor487]

Nobody mentions FreeBSD? I mean if you are mentioning Linux and MS-DOS why Not Free or OpenBSD?

[Nivim]

Probably because that operating system is an even smaller minority than Linux? There has to be someone reading the thread who uses it or knows it well for them to recommend it.

For a very easy to use (but probably not as customizable) system, you can take a look at the OS used by One Laptop a Child. My little brother used this one for a bit.

However, I'd also take a look at Qimo, another Linux distro geared towards kids.

I thought these teaching operating systems were set up to be especially easy to replace with the ones they teach for... However, looking at the various information snippets, it doesn't seem like they're intentionally leading up to better Linux versions, but instead expecting people to stick around after they've learned it. Regardless if such is the case--

[...] Linux Mint [...]

I second this. Linux Mint is a fairly solid operating system that doesn't have the "complex illusions for user-interface simplicity" problem ("smoke and mirrors")...which I assume is as confusing to normal children trying to learn how something works as it was to me, but I haven't actually watched a <13 year person interact with various 'nix systems while unexperienced, so I can't be certain.

[Baffler]

Start off right! Set the laptop up with Ubuntu and WINE. Kids'll learn anything quickly, especially if she hasn't really used computers extensively before.

[MagmaMcFry]

I third Linux Mint over Ubuntu, but what's most important to consider is that you shouldn't give your child an OS if you don't have some experience in it to kickstart your child with. But seriously, all the experience you need for Linux Mint is how to use a desktop-style window manager, how to use the package manager, and some basic Unix.

[MadMalkavian]

…but what's most important to consider is that you shouldn't give your child an OS if you don't have some experience in it to kickstart your child with.

Come to think of it that makes some pretty damn good sense. Ant, what OS do you have the most experience with? Whichever one that is should be the one that you get your kid started on.

[Ant]

Hi all and thanks for the answers once again. I admit that I had forgotten to post the results, as I had to do this during intense time in work. Nevertheless this thread eventually led me to choose Mint KDE 15 over ubuntu 13 as main. Not totally new for me, since earlier dabbling with ubuntu, but more "windows-like" to be easily adapted by my kid. And of course, if it doesn't work as hoped, I can try out the rest.

Some experiences this far:
- It's light. Old laptop ain't screaming it's fan blades off anymore.
- Graphics drivers seem to be old or unoptimized, as some games that worked fine on ubuntu and vista are now slower.
- It has quite low curve at learning to use (coming from windows), kid grasped the basics with one evening of learning.
- The Wifi connection required some hoops, including re-install. Still it works after once gotten it to work.
- Most problems encountered have been solvable through quite active community advices and most older version tricks still work.