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Story: Longhorn and the Linux long-game

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Sure, Debian is great, but it's minimalist to the bone. Linux-gurus may not have a problem, but most everyone else will. Even Mandrake's installation, as easy as it is, is still too confusing for most users these days; and to cut-short the "their stupid anyways" comments-ease of use is what counts. For example, the computer "idiot" installs Linux, and a random piece of hardware is unsupported, they don't know, and problems occur. What are they to do? One of the security "benefits" (actually present because too many distros are too lazy to make a fix) is that so much software must be installed by entering commands much like DOS. Most windows users are too illiterate of computers for stuff like that. Linspire has much of that problem fixed, but they're pay-only. Why would I pay so much money a year for upgrades?
Here's another view. Even Mandrake costs money monthly to make it uber user friendly (that is, if the person can get linux to hook-up to the internet to download anything). The end-cost per year will often end-up being the price of a Windows upgrade, so why switch? Most often I hear Linux users complain, whining "if hardware vendors would just make compatible hardware or drivers..."
Well, gurus know what to buy, newbs use what they have, or it's too expensive. And frankly, to businesses, it's not worth the extra effort. Now, before I get flamed, here's a revelation: "I use Linux." I like that I can get it free. I don't like that there's no gui-install: it's annoying as hell. It's also annoying that Mandrake offers no guide on how to use easy-urmpi to install jack. If it hadn't been for my older computer being too puny to handle newer windows I would have switched back. I have to admit, it's practically worthless right now-it won't hook to the internet, it won't do a lot of things, but unlike most users, I have patience (and user-friends) to learn. As long as Linux ends up being more time-consuming as well as almost as expensive as a Windows Update pack, it's going nowhere "huge." People will pay oodles for convenience (say, for example, for an over-priced, restrictive device like the iPods). I love that linux is open-source enough that you can use it on practically anything with some kind of chip, but the convenience isn't quite there for average computer users. I point this out and get flamed and receive retorts like "screw 'em," but that's the problem with techies-they have a sort of contempt for those who don't give a rat's *** about anything tech and expect it to work; but it's that majority that will pay the bills to make more. Enthusiasm rocks-so did BeOS for its time; (but guess what?). If you only have enthusiasts working on seperate components, it's hard to get a unified function, look, and feel. To my fellow Linux-users, stop whining, shut-up, and demand change and develope a better distro that's quickly successful, cheaper, supports everything, etc. Otherwise, deal with the drawbacks, and stop acting like the famous "Mac snobs. " (which my Mac-obsessed buddy Dan acknowledges too). On another note, it's hard to claim windows sucks so badly when it has to deal with backwards-compatibility and the fact that frankly, most crashes aren't the fault of windows. Usually it's third-party drivers or software. Windows is "dumbed-down" as well for user friendliness, while Linux till more recently didn't care. Linux may be faster and "bleeding edge," but only because it has the advantage of being worked on with newer knowledge, no major expectation of backwards compatibility, etc. etc.

So now that I'm done with a stupid rant:
Again:
Stop whining, stop making excuses, stop pouting, and bitching, hissing and scratching. Don't become like "Mac snobs" which it seems almost every linux user does, and if you're going to bitch, at least know what you're talking about. Just for the fun of it, here's my whine: "A better M*#$#%((&((##$ file-system!!!!! I know of a guy who used part of Windows in his sy

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