Linked by Phil Hall on Thu 5th Dec 2002 00:35 UTC
I'm a long-time Windows user, but for years I've been searching for an intelligent alternative. Macs are actually a great choice, but have you priced them lately? I don't have two grand to spend for another system. I had been reading all the hoopla surrounding Xandros Desktop for a number of months and decided to take the plunge. I had been burned two times previously trying to install other Linux distributions. Their tech support was non-existent. I'm essentially working in a vacuum. When something has gone wrong in the past, I've found that I was on my own. 
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Iconoclast, I think you missed my point entirely and I fault myself for not making it clear.
Linux is desparately trying to get out of the developer/geek box and into the average user markets (home and office). I've used this analogy before but I think it makes sense: give me your keyboard for a day and let me scramble all the keys up (and their output) and give it back to you. I'm sure given enough time, you'll be able to type fine with it. But why should you learn to type all over again? That's wasted time -- hours and hours of your life that are gone forever.
Similarly, windows users, who are the Linux target, are use to fast GUIs, install shields, drag-and-drop, click-activation, etc. I don't think users are lazy or incompetent if they shy away from text menus, dependency-hell, hand-editing config files, etc. - they are just pragmatic. Linux is getting better at this stuff but only if you stay on the surface. Once you scratch that away, which every user does eventually (inadvertantly most of the time), you're still stuck with tons of unnecessary complexity.
That complexity is fine for you and me. But I take no joy in dealing with an operating system that way and don't expect everyone else to either. If you do, honestly, more power to you and I'm glad you like it. For the rest who just wanna get things done, it seems like a huge evolutionary step backwards.
Cheers.