I dont’ have anything against Microsoft Windows myself. Most my friends use Microsoft Windows and they are smart people.
I just don’t use it myself.
I like to play with all sorts of software (especially multimedia) and if I were using MS-Windows, I can not afford to pay for the categories of software that I like to use. While many of my aquaintences get around that cost factor by using pirated software (and it is truely RAMPENT the amount of pirated software that is in use by MS-Windows users - I mean most of them do not think twice about using pirated software) I am trying very hard NOT to go down that path, and hence I prefer Linux for that and other reasons.
As for ease of setup, IMHO the EASIEST way to ensure Linux works is to NEVER buy any hardware which is not known to work EASILY with Linux. Note the CAPS for EASIEST and EASILY. Really !! Do not accept just any report of compatibility but ensure that it MUST be “EASY” compatibility. My two laptops (both with Intel wireless hardware) “just work” with Linux. VERY VERY VERY EASY. Their Linux drivers work better than the winXP and the Vista graphic drivers (Vista was an unmitigated disaster) and NO special configuration is needed.
But I researached first to ensure the wireless hardware I picked “just worked”.
I did the same for a DLink graphic card to run under Linux. And it also “just works” now with the a5thk wireless driver. No special configuration is needed.
But users who go for other wireless hardware, can have a painful time as not all hardware is easy. A bit of reasearch BEFORE purchase goes a LONG ways, … and I never cease to shake my head and be surprised at my fellow Linux users who simply refuse to do such checks of EASY setup/compatibility with Linux BEFORE a purchase. Really. They simply refuse to check, or they do a pathetic half-***d search. Pathetic.
I’ve always noted, that if one can show me a MacIntosh user who does not first check for MacIntosh compatibility before hardware purchase, that I will also show one an unhappy MacIntosh user.
But the same is true for MS-Windows users. Show me an MS-Windows user who does not first check for MS-Windows compatibility. Of course its EASY for MS-Windows (and also Mac users) because it is often written right on the box, but the simple fact of the matter is Linux users who ignore doing a detailed check for compatiblity may be in for a rough time.
So your comments about the unfriendliness and difficulty of Linux are duely noted, but IMHO to a large extent it is mostly self inflicted. Linux works very EASILY on a small amount of hardware, and works with difficulty on a MASSIVE amount of hardware. Pick your poison. I know what I hardware I pick.