1. Lubuntu 576 MB
Lubuntu is a lightweight Linux operating system based on Ubuntu but using the LXDE desktop environment in place of Ubuntu's Unity shell and GNOME desktop
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lubuntu
Quick links for direct Downloads of the latest version:
PC (Intel x86) desktop CD | Torrent2. Linux: Mageia 1 686 MB
Mageia | A New Linux Distribution
http://www.mageia.org/en/
http://www.mageia.org/en/downloads/
has had good reviews and i like the clean interface
Mageia is a fork of Mandriva Linux formed in September 2010
http://desktoplinuxreviews.com/2011/08/02/mageia-1/3/
http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/spotlight-linux-mageia-1
http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20110606
3 . Opensuse 4.3 GB (Need a fast connection to download)
http://www.opensuse.org/en/
To download http://software.opensuse.org/114/en
you can choose from direct or bittorrent.
Negatives :-
1) during install open suse does not give you the option to choose the boot folder . It also over writes the boot loader making the other installs un-usable .
2) Its text editor kwrite is not as good as the ubuntu Gedit
3) Other partitions become unusable after its install and opensuse does not have write access to those partitions
4. http://www.archlinux.org/
Development focuses on simplicity, minimalism, and code elegance.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arch_Linux
5. For linux experts backtrack linux is the best (least bloatware ) and most secure.
http://www.backtrack-linux.org/
other ones to try
NetSecL is a hardened,live and installable OS based on OpenSuse suitable for Desktop/Server
http://netsecl.com/
http://netsecl.com/download
IPFire is a server distribution with intended to use as a firewall. It focuses on flexibility, and scales from small to middle sized business networks and home networks.
http://www.ipfire.org/