An interesting article over at ZDNet about Linux's readyness for mass consuption.
QuoteWindows Vista brings with it a new era of DRM and restrictive license agreements that aren't going to sit well with even your basic power user (let alone the uber power users that regularly read this and other blogs at ZDNet!) and some are looking for an escape route. These changes are making some users question their commitment to Microsoft. The obvious step is to make the leap to Linux.
But what's holding people back from escaping Microsoft's shackles and moving to a free and easy platform? My guess is that the platform isn't everything. In fact, it's only a small part of the equation.
http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/index.php?p=133
Interesting article, and the discussions after are, as expected, full of zealotry on both sides.
My opinion is that there is only one valid desktop alternative for the average user and that is Mac OS. despite significant improvements to desktop linux distros, the market is to fragmented (too many distros like the article states), and still requires too much technical know how to accomplish many tasks easily completed under Windows or MacOS.
As an owner of both, for the grandma or parent with little computer experience Mac OS is by far the most correct choice. Its crazy how they nearly thought of everything and its so very usable (i got a few examples if interested).
I still prefer XP as I would consider myself a power user and a user who has been sitting in front of a start bar since the very beginning.
I am a BSD man myself so I think I would like OSX. I have used both, and I like windows.
Apple has small form factor laptops so I am leaning towards OSX.
But we will see how my job hunt goes. :D