For me, Linux is MUCH better...
Besides not having to pay for the operating system, I don't have to pay for the "office suite", or put up with a downgraded "works" office.
I don't have the time to put up with Microsoft frustration, and to work on filling up all their security holes.
I've been running Linux without ANY virus or spyware protection for two years, only a hardware firewall/router. NO problems at all.
It is worth it to convert to Linux... which is getting better and better.
I suggest people try "Knoppix" ... an operating system that boots up from CD (or DVD) to see if Linux might suit them. That does not change their computer at all! Good for a "test drive". Then that they obtain and install one of the several excellent flavors: Fedora, Linspire (apparently good for laptops right now), Mandriva, etc. in a "dual-boot" environment, so they can switch between MS and their Linux, as I have. It has now been over a year since I've logged into the MS operating systems on any of my computers.
I saw this article a couple of days ago.
OpenOffice runs on Windows, and on the Mac via X11. I use OpenOffice when I need to open a WordPerfect file (Gack! WordPerfect makes MS Word look like a pillar of excellence.)
I've been running Linux without ANY virus or spyware protection for two years, only a hardware firewall/router. NO problems at all
When I was running Windows XP, my firewall and virus software were precautionary. I haven't gotten a virus in six or seven years. On my Mac, I've debated taking the AntiVirus off since there are precisely zero known viruses for OS X.
It has now been over a year since I've logged into the MS operating systems on any of my computers.
I keep Windows around for a legacy application I have to run, and for poorly designed websites that require Internet Explorer.
To get the full install experience without danger to your primary OS, get yourself a second hard drive, and install it there. For my laptop, I simply bought a second drive and caddy and keep the test OS on it (you can do the same for a desktop computer, with a little more work to install the drive tray). That way I can play with it as much as I want without worrying about accidently messing up my primary OS...if I break something (and I usually do), I just wipe that disk and start over. It's a great way to learn. When I get tired, I pop the other disk back in.