Some of the disadvantages mentioned, I think are advantages. Number one being that it doesn't run Windows apps natively. Its windows apps running on windows that make windows unstable, why bring that problem to linux? Most linux alternatives to windows software is much more stable, often times are more configurable and have more features. Number two, I beg to differ on the lack of support for linux, there are endless how-tos out there describing exactly how to set up any aspect of GNU/linux. Linux message boards are undoubtedly visited by more friendly people willing to help than the flame happy useless windows boards that are abundant on the net. Number three, its very EASY to find software for linux if you have the right distribution. For instance, I use Gentoo, all I do is browse descriptions of apps that are sorted into categories like app-office, media-video, net-p2p and when I find an app that has the uses I need I simply type, eg: 'emerge gtk-gnutella' from a shell prompt and in a couple minutes the program will have been downloaded, compiled and installed, ready to go. It can be very hard for a windows user to migrate over to linux at first, I know, it was for me last May. Tried playing with Mandrake but RPM dependencies drove me nuts and I found it very difficult to modify system settings. Gentoo may be difficult to install at first, but that is because the install is an educational experience for most people. They will learn exactly how their setup actually works and what settings are in what file. If something breaks, you already know how to go about fixing it. Many people are too lazy to learn this and insist that everything be spoon fed, like in WinXP. It is this reason linux gets a bad rap.

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Credit where credits due though. My brother just bought his first IBM compat. PC two weeks ago. Carpenter by trade and the only comp they had before this is an Amiga 500. Being new to them the XP help got him through a lot of difficulty (the support staff where next to useless by the way).

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Nearly all of the advantages and disadvantages of linux, trace back to it's configurability. Windows is simple because you CAN'T configure it. Your computer operates the way Redmond has decided it should operate, regardless of how infuriating some of the 'features' are. Linux, on the other hand, can be configured any way you like, but that's not simple. If you get one of the mainstream (read: More popular) distros, install KDE as your GUI, and accept the default configurations, it turns out that linux is just an ultrastable version of windows with a different, but similar choice of software.

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