I'm upgrading now, online. I have nothing of value to add, but generally doesn't stop ^them^ so, you know what they say.
It took a while for the on-line upgrade process to do something. I killed it twice after being impatient. Once it told me it timed out waiting for the release notes. I tried again evoking it from bash as found from the process table,
I guess that's okay because it showed me the release notes, let me click, and I have a nice little "distribution upgrade" box that gives me a status. It's cute.
I did the same from 8.04lts to 8.10, and it was smooth sailing. I think todays difficulties are obvious. I'd be interested to see their download status.
I hardly call free (as in beer) a lack of incentive.
Regarding it not being faster, I'd disagree there as well. I got a new laptop with vista pre-installed, and I even convinced myself that I just needed to get used to it before condemning it as I immediately did. After a week, I installed a Linux distro and couldn't be happier. In the time it took for the machine to just boot up and be usable under vista, I can start up, check my email, check a few websites, and shut down.
The comment about the linux community patenting software that that only runs on Linux speaks for itself.
I think the general public is more concerned with freedom as in beer than the freedom of the software. Most of the general public has heard the term 'open source' but doesn't know what that actually means.
Furthermore, there really isn't much incentive for people to use Linux when their computers all come with an OS installed already, and there is almost never any savings in getting a computer without a proprietary OS installed.
I think a more successful tactic would be to illustrate that MS and Apple are in it for the money, and the GNU/Linux/OSS community is in it because they love it.
Of course, none of this matters until device manufacturers release open drivers for their hardware. Jane and John Doe are going to use what works before they use what's free.
What this country needs is a good five dollar plasma weapon.