Re:Yes (Score 1)

This discussion really frustrates me. There is only one reason why most people will still pay for or pirate an operating system rather than use Linux: Applications. If all the programs I own worked just as well under Linux than they do in WinXP, I'd change immediately. It has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the interface or anything else. People want an operating system to run applications and that's it. Everything else is far down the list.

That's like saying you want to run Mac software on a Windows system. Your applications you bought for your WindowsXP system won't run on Linux (natively) it also will not run on a Macintosh or some earlier versions of Windows. Why would you expect an operating system to conform to another operating systems specifications? What would be the sense of changing OS's if you were just switching to a clone of the one you were already running.?

But still, I'd much rather not have to learn all new software in order to use Linux. If a well-financed company came out with a commercial operating system that ran Windows programs properly, it would be a huge success, if only because of all the ill-will Microsoft has created for itself over the years. I know that I'd support such a project, and be willing to pay a few hundred for it, too.

You can run a great number of them under Linux, you just need to use the proper utility. CodeWeavers "CrossOver" isn't free but works excellently with many Windows based games and applications.

I lept from the Window to Linux about a year ago, my wife followed about 3 months later. We have been enjoying using our computer more than trying to maintain it.