OpenSource OS's that Don't Suck?

Do they exist?

I liked Windows XP and Vista is a horriffic pile of fail but I don't have an actual XP CD. I don't really know anything about open source OS so I don't have a clue where to start.

Bonus if you can actually run programs on them instead of just have a machine sitting there you can't run applications on because it sucks. If I want that i'll use Vista.

If you don't know anything about open source OSs, then I wouldn't recommend one. I was in the same situation as you, and I decided to create a dual boot XP/Ubuntu. Everything was pretty cool until I had to install my video drivers. It's a horrible process so I just went back to XP and haven't used my Ubuntu partition since.