Historically, windows didn't fail to properly configure hardware because IT DIDN'T TRY. Only now ("only in 2008 or so") does it have even a modicum of driver detection. Windows didn't have video, wireless, or even wired networking out of the box. It worked after *you* installed drivers for it.
The vast majority of hardware detection issues on Linux have been because of hardware vendors.

How do you know you can trust your compiler binary?!?!?!?