To each his own (Score 1)

It has nothing to with the closed source. If any other OS were to be just as buggy as Windows, people would flame it as well.

Those without awe on the specticale of a computer are usually those who don't understand enough about them, nonetheless care. The end-users are the ones who just submit to whatever is handed to them, and thus this is why Micor$oft has gained a monopoly.

Now that Micro$oft is getting a tounge-lashing (or so it appears) from the DOJ this time around, while M$ has had to deal with with the DOJ, other OSes have emmerged. Solairis is seeked as a powerful UNIX meant to deal best with heavy web traffic. BSD harnesses the aspect of stability and a good price. Linux is the most popular because of how easily it can replace Windows, and on top of that, have a variety of uses for a variety of reasons yet be so inexpensive.

Windows 2000, IMO, is another version of Windows NT. Nothing new here; just a Windows 98 feel. When Windows 2000 was being conceptualized, Linux made its push on the market (heaven forbid, Mr. Gates, competetion). Many of Windows 2000's ideas are yet again unoriginal. Perhaps you have never seen the Red Hat Package Manager? (Windows Installer) Or thought about installing from network? (Linux can install from FTP sites.) Granted that the industry doesn't code for Linux (at least not yet) doesn't mean that Linux is useless.

M$ is a dissapointment as well as a monopoly. Perhaps they should live up to its hype -- say, if it's stable, maybe there's no bugs? Or if it's stable, it doesn't crash at random? The fact people flame M$ is over the fact that they say one thing, and they don't live up to people's expectations. On the other hand, a choice is good, isn't it? I for one do not prefer to be stuck with an OS that crashes and forces upon me all of the company's programs.

Just because you like Linux doesn't mean you have to use it. Go ahead and buy an OS that costs $219 and rant all you want when some piece of hardware or some driver from a program that you prefer doesn't work. When I'm done installing Red Hat Linux from a grahpical install and letting Kusko detect and properly installing my new cards, I'll be still writing to /. while you work on Windows behaving to your taste.