[Still Thinking]

But if Linux were just like Windows, there would be no need for Linux, now would there?

Sure there would. Half of what's wrong with Windows isn't Windows, it's Microsoft and the degree of control they can exert over your computing experience. If there were a public, free, GPL'ed binary-compatible version of Windows, I'd install it today. Half my Windows problems would be solved.

[Señor Zorro]

Half of what's wrong with Windows isn't Windows, it's Microsoft and the degree of control they can exert over your computing experience.

True enough.

If there were a public, free, GPL'ed binary-compatible version of Windows, I'd install it today. Half my Windows problems would be solved.

You're not the only one who thinks so. There is already such a project underway called ReactOS (http://www.reactos.org/en/index.html) . I don't know how good it is. I played with it in a VM for a few minutes and that was about it. Can't hurt to drop it in a lab machine, VM, or spare box somewhere and give it a whirl.