You're right in some respects but wrong in others, Stuart. I certainly agree on the CD point you make. It is only any good as a demo. Quite often, the test is better done by installing the distro on an old PC. It is far more resource efficient so will work reasonably well where 'doze has become too resource hungry.
The learning curve is minimal. It is all point and click and, if anything, it has surpassed the 'doze offerings in levels of intuitive use.
You have choices of several browsers. That is true of other applications, too, including several office suites of which I personally use Open Office. That's because I'm too damned idle to check the others out, though. Having visited people using 'doze applications recently, I can't agree their office suite is in any way superior. But then, I don't use it day to day ad I don't suppose you use Open Office day to day. When it comes down to it, I doubt there's much to choose between them other than the price tag and the ability to work when loaded on different platforms.
A large number of the apps will work on 'doze as well as *nix platforms. Most come pre-loaded on *nix whilst you have to download them separately on other platforms.
In conclusion, I really do see several Linux distributions as superior to M$ offerings in several ways although, as you would expect, it is not superior in every single facet. And for those who have locked themselves into M$ dedicated applications, it would not be a practical choice. But that is a choice they have made.
And a short learning curve would appear to me infinitely preferable to the suffering so many appear to be going through, as though they were forced to stick to a single offering on a single platform. Sorry if this sounds pompous, but such blind allegiance to a single label appears masochistic to me.
I made the switch about 5 years ago and have never regretted it. Now most Linux distributions in general and the Ubuntu "family" in particular are so user friendly, the old usability arguments just don't hold water. Am I just like the ex-smoker, knowing what's better for all of you, too?
