If you're happy with XP, there's not really anything we can do to change your mind. But let me list some of my reasons for switching to Linux instead of upgrading to XP from 98se:
1. I can't afford to buy a new computer right now, which I pretty much would have had to do if I bought XP. My specs are 500 Mhz AMD K6-2 processor, 192 MB of Ram, 20 gig harddrive. Can XP user or Zombie tell me that XP would run on my computer?
2. Better multi-tasking support. Windows 98se was okay with it, but it had its limits. With Mandrake Linux 8.2, I haven't yet found the limits. It can just handle more at once than Windows 98 can.
3. Stability. I've only managed to crash Mandrake a couple times since I've been using it. Windows 98 crashed about once a week, and that's a conservative estimate.
4. Excellent hardware support. You'd be hard-pressed to find hardware that doesn't work in Linux. Even if a piece of hardware is not listed as supported, it doesn't mean it won't work. My webcam works, even though it's not listed as supported in Mandrake's hardware database.
5. Lots of high-quality software available. You've got at least ten internet browsers, lots of media players, office suites, image programs, complex multimedia applications, and lots of other things that I can't think of right now. And the vast majority of it is free, which is a nice side-benefit. But I would gladly pay for this software if they did charge for it.
6. You could easily have all the software you'll ever use on one distribution of Linux. This could also be said for Windows XP, however, all the software on Linux is optional, whereas with any version of Windows after 95, the software is integrated into the operating system, and you can't remove it even if you don't use it.
7. LInux is easy to use. It's only difficult at first because most people have been using Windows or Macintosh only for a long time. But after only a few weeks, they can use Linux just as easily as any other operating system.
8. And the biggest reason of all: Not having to rely on Microsoft to have a usable computer. Instead of being competitive, Microsoft has resorted to predatory practices and illegal practices to make sure it remains the only choice in virtually all major software categories. Using Linux means you don't have to rely on Microsoft just to be able to use your computer normally.
edit: For the record, I'm not a computer science student, nor do I have any programming experience whatsoever. I'm your average computer user that wanted to reduce his dependency on the Microsoft monopoly, and found an excellent choice in Mandrake Linux.
In short, Linux just works.
[ November 11, 2002: Message edited by: emh ]
