Ok here my take on this subject. The average person who is not a tech-geek-know-it-all Trusts the opinion of the tech-geek-know-it-all which is why they ask us what is the best way to go.
Now lets look at whats happened since Windows XP.. Microsoft has decided to come up with last time I counted 7 different versions of Windows 7, and although there are so many versions, in the end are the different versions really that different? The Menus/Options bars etc is pretty much the same. So you can pick a version of Windows 7 depending on the budget and hardware and off you go.
Now lets look at Linux, I've read through almost half of the comments posted here and I'm more confused from when I read this topic and I thought I knew a bit, and I consider myself pretty knowledgeable when it comes to Computers and Operating systems.
The problem with Linux is, there may be 7 different versions (distros) or more, but they all look different and install different.. compared to all the versions of Windows 7 which in the end look very similar, and work similar.
What the Linux Community needs to do is come up with a Unified Distro a sort of Linux Windows.
A distro that when someone asks which Distro of Linux to use, you simply say USE THIS VERSION and be done with it.
Everyone in here has named at least 4 different distros and thats according their tastes.
Well a Non Linux User, doesnt know what flavour they will like... they expect an expert to tell them which flavour is the best.
If Linux enthusiast want to convert people to Linux they need to come up with a Single Distro that you can simply recommend and
would be the defacto standard.
Sometimes too much choice is not a good thing, its like how people go into a sandwich shop and they see all these options on the menu
but in the end they order the same thing they always do.
I've installed Ubuntu, Red Had, KDE and even played around with Knoppix and in the end I didnt know which one to stick with, because
I dont want to invest the time one one Distro to later find another Distro is better and I'd have to re-install etc..
Look at MAC OSX (I dont own any apple products), thats a good example of having not too many versions.