it doesn't help you learn much beyond how to click the right buttons

I've been messing with Mandrake recently and this is my exact experience. Though I have a little more understanding of how Linux handles drives differently from Windows, for the most part I can't tell much difference except that it's unfamiliar and therefore the simple tasks that come naturally to me in windows are more frustratingly difficult. Unfortunately I don't have time for any real in-depth learning so I keep using Linux in hopes that when I finally get a chance to mess with a Unix system for real some of the non-windows concepts will have crept into my brain. FWIW I've been relatively happy with Madrake, though I'm still immensely uncomfortable in a lot of areas.