You can disconnect your computer from the internet. Never connect it up again. This is the only way to stop your computer speaking to Microsoft Corporation. I know that's stupid and impractical.
This is why so many people make the switch - the option to stay with what they've got is no longer viable. The constrictive EULA - which in some cases may actually be illegal, a company that has been convicted for not playing by the rules. It is insecure and bug ridden - with a bug response time of months at best, spyware and licensing and constant upgrade costs.
Your hardware vendor may not support Linux, that is hardly the fault of Linux. Many people like you want to switch from an ideologically stance, and that means either commitment by you or not. How deep does you hatred run?
Personnally I would stop using computers altogether if M$ were the only option. I'd pack it up and become a lumberjack. However they are not. Lack of knowledge is all that is holding you back, and that can be cured. That is what the net is all about (information abounds out here). So maybe you can't switch suddenly, do it slowly. There are plenty of people on this forum who dual boot, until they have cured their deficiencies of knowledge, others are just waiting for a few more games to come out under Linux.
Hell it's taken me six months to get my network card running under redhat, I have multiple booted with 2K, 98, Mandrake Linux. I used what worked ineffectually until I could get what I wanted up and running.
Or buy a Mac.
Until then use non-M$ apps. Openoffice, mozilla, opera, etc.
