Returning to Linux after 20 years

caminito

A little background.  I first dabbled with Linux back in the mid-late 90's as a student (Slackware distribution on 5 CD's) and spent the early part of my career as tech. support for a high-end UNIX vendor (Sequent Computer Systems) who put me through their excellent in-class training courses.  I emerged with a couple of sys admin qualifications.  I subsequently spent some time as a tech. consultant at an ERP vendor (System Software Associates), installing and configuring their product into a UNIX (HP-UX) and Oracle environment at client sites.  So, back then I kind of had a clue what I was doing I guess.

From around the turn of the century I switched to the dark side and became a developer on the Microsoft platform.  Until the last 18 months or so I specialised on the .NET platform until sensing a change in the market.  I have now switched to the web stack - Angular, Node.js, etc, and see no reason why I need to be shackled to Microsoft's operating sytems any longer.  Hell, I can even continue with .NET developments on Linux or MacOS if required.

I'm looking for some advice on how to make this switch back to Linux.  The last time I considered it, Red Hat were king but these days all I hear is Ubuntu.   So, which distribution would suit and how the hell do I remove 20 years of dust to find those skills I once knew?   

Thanks for reading and looking forward to your advice.