... priceless.
In reality, a couple of the biggest advantages with linux are also the biggest disadvantages.
1. Too much choice. MS has a standard, good or bad, which people get. How many distro's, and versions of distro's incompatible in some way with each other do people need? Apple gets this.
2. Free is percieved as having no value. Additionally, business realies on value, and supporting companies need value to exist. What people use in Business and education usually translates into what they are confortable with at home.(In Melbourne, where I live, finding a competant linux tech is both expensive and frustrating, and inevitably wants to reinstall everything 'their way'). Apple really gets this.
3. No user, should ever, ever have to touch a command line. Ever. It may be more powerful, it may allow for inifinte possibilities, however infinite isn't ncessary. If they do, it's not suitable for mass consumption ... period. Apple also gets this.
I run MS, Ubunto and Apple software (well, osX86) and i like them all for different reasons. OS of choice - Win7. Why, cause it just works, and requires minimal thought, and runs everything i need.
For these reasons, Linux will stay in obscurity (on the desktop). However, if all the competiting linux guys actually got together, Microsoft would have a fight on it's hands. Critical mass is required ... without it, it's just a play-thing.
(not meaning to offend anyone, just the way I see it)
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