I understand and largely agree. Check Linux forums versus those of Windows, compared with the number of users, and it should become evident. My key word was “potential.”
We agree on more than disagree at this point. I see Linux distros as more niche or specialized productions/solutions than ‘main-stream.’ For instance, the MythTV or DD-WRT projects. I use are participate in the developer communities respectively.
The same people that champion Linux as a dominate desktop are the same people that lament about the ‘dumb’ Windows user base. I’ve worked with and known many such *nix users and to be honest that attitude alone will be counter-productive with regards to widespread adoption. What I see as the catalyst for wide-spread conversion, will be the tightening on digital rights and controls from the software and media industries.