What is Windows Embedded Operating System

[excollier]

Ive tried it in the past, but the distros have been so bloody unfriendly to a newcomer its been hopeless.

Well hopefully you'll find them a lot more friendly now. I came totally fresh to linux, and was only an average "know nothing" with Windows, but linux has taught me so much more in 8 months than 20 years using Windows.
Strange that I found CrunchBang and PiBang very easy to use, and they are very different from any variant of Windows.
Anyway, good luck with your foray back into linux.