All the fuss is because it's something of a rite of passage for geeks to be into Linux, and even more of a rite of passage to be a shill for Linux/the open source movement. Might be why it's been so slow to become as user friendly as Windows (more user friendly equates to loss of geekyness). You have these people who think they're "1337" because they do everything with a text-based browser or the command line.
Don't get me wrong though, I have plenty of complaints about Windows and I use Linux on my servers. But the level of blind fanaticism over Linux on the part of some people is pretty unbelievable.
Blind fanaticism pretty much sums it up.
These people refuse to believe that MS has ANY redeeming qualities and everything about Linux is perfect. It's a freakin' cult. If Windows crashes it's because MS and the devil (Gates) suck. If Linux crashes ... it's MY fault because Linux NEVER crashes!!!
Bingo! Just think of the comic bookstore character in "The Simpsons". I work in IT, and it's full of arrogant, condescending, bloated geeks just like that guy, who are always trying to convince everyone else that they are geniuses, simply because they know some obscure stuff. They're amusing at best.
All the fuss is because it's something of a rite of passage for wackjobs to be into Windows, and even more of a rite of passage to be a shill for Windows/the mediocre software movement.