When I was looking at switching to Vista, I was going to have to run XP in a virtual machine in Vista in order to run certain software that I need for work.
If I’m going to do that, what do I need Vista for?
How much Windows software do you need to run, anyway? Did you try out the Virtualbox seamless mode?
That's my point. Only, substitute Linux for Vista.
How much Windows software do you need to run, anyway?
Quicken was one. There's nothing for Linux that compares.
Did you try out the Virtualbox seamless mode?
No. As stated, I see no purpose in running one OS over another. I tried WINE, but that was worthless. After that is when I asked myself 'what am I doing this for?'. I went back to Windows and have never given Linux another thought.
It's a simple decision. If what you need is Windows based, stick with Windows. If you have nothing you're tied to, then Linux may be worth considering. As for the security issues, they can be mostly dealt with through free software, proper hardware configuration, and some practical habits when online.