You should have been in Linux. That is the first thing I tell you if you are still in Windows. You should have been here, with us, and cherish the success and efficiency of the open-source movement, cherish your own freedom and happiness, exercise your power and authority as the owner of the computer. You should not be in Windows, where you must obey, not be obeyed, where you must bear with tons of idiosyncrasies. However, now is the time to change to Linux, more than ever. By the way, this should only apply to Windows users. If you are using Macintosh, maybe you may want to stick there, since Mac is, more or less, far cousin of Linux. However, if you are on Windows boat, switch!
The first reason to switch is that you will have to learn a new environment anyway. Vista and XP. Tell me where they are the same (except their producer). Frankly, I still like XP. I switch to Linux from XP, right. However, it is still functional as an operating system. It still reads the network drives. It still allows me to work. Vista? Please. Furthermore, XP is an evolution from 98 (actually, from ME, but no one like ME, so let us take 98). You know where everything was, and how things worked. You are supposed to throw your stuffs into "My documents". When you drag mouse over Programs (or "All Programs"), a menu pop out. If you want to change something of the Windows Explorer, you have the menu. Etc. We all know those things. We grew up with them. Then, some guys in Microsoft (I firmly believe that guy is not Bill Gates) think they know better, and screwed everything up. What is THAT? Everything turns upside-down. And slow down. Let me tell you again: you will have to study a new environment, a very annoying one, if you choose Vista. In that case, switch to Linux! It is even better than XP. The reason you stick to Microsoft is because you have been using them forever. Well, no more. They are someone new, someone you know not! Then, find a better place!
Secondly, well, I have mentioned this above, Microsoft is no more Microsoft. As a matter of fact, Microsoft has never been an innovation driver. They don't come up with new ideas. They simply implement good ideas in a way that all of us can use. Compare the price of a machine for Windows 98 and one for Macintosh. Compare the skill require for Windows XP and the skill require for (says) Red Hat 1. Furthermore, Microsoft respected us, users. They spent a huge amount of time on ensuring that our programs, our old and buggy ones, would work on the new operating system. Compare that to the attitude of Apple, or the cruelty of Unix world. However, no more. Apple has revived, this time as the sexiest, the coolest, hottest technology around, with tons of innovations. Linux has evolved into an easy to use, fast, powerful, obedient, and reliable operating system. It, too, provides many innovations. Remember that most new programming environment emerge from Linux, and most new interface innovators emerge from Macintosh. Microsoft just implement them. Now, it cannot even implement well. Vista broke every good thing about Microsoft. Tons of programs is refused. The interface is stolen, clearly, from name to design. The demand for hardware power is just ridiculous. All with a weird new interface. This is not the Microsoft I knew. This is a new, monopoly Microsoft, the one thinking that it knows better than its users. That is disrespectful. You, as the consumer, the user, should feel that disrespect, and react to that. You are no lamps, no weak and powerless person. You have on you hand a great choice! Deride from Unix, the most reliable, stable, and configurable operating system ever exist, far cousin of Macintosh, Linux is a perfect choice for just about everything. The continuous effort from WINE community and game industry will soon bring you the last missing piece of the puzzle, Games. Punish Microsoft. Be yourself, be productive, be free. Switch.
I have been talking badly about Microsoft and Windows, now let me explain Linux. You know, about 5 years ago, Linux was not what it is today. The first try to switch of mine was painful. I destroyed my whole hard drive in the process. Actually, only the NTFS partition died in Linux's hand. The rest were crushed in the effort to rescue the NTFS partition. I lost tons of important data. However, things have changed. Actually, it started as far as Red Hat Linux's birth, but recently received a new push: Ubuntu. I don't like that distro, to tell you the truth. It is too Windows for my taste. However, it does have a great affect on the Linux movement: it push for the ease of use. Together with that movement, the Linux community has become more and more widespread. Ubuntu users seem to be everywhere. On the internet, in my classroom, everywhere. Those mean that you no longer need to be a kernel hacker to use Linux. Nowadays, using distros such as Ubuntu, you don't even need to touch the command line interface. Everything is graphical. If you do need to, you would find some people willing to give you down to what lines to type easily. In short, Linux has go a long way, from a sadistic environment reserved for hackers (and please don't confuse hackers, who work with great passions and curiosity with crackers, those bad guys who crack the webs and steal your credit cards) to an easy to use, beautiful to use, fun to use operating system. It has matured. It is ready for use.
I have just mentioned the ease of using Linux. Linux also has tons of other benefits. However, I would rather recommend you go to that topic on this website. Telling them here is not that different from torture, since they are too numerous to be concise. Please, spend about 10 minutes and see what Linux has for you. Yes, for you, the user, a member of the community, a friend, and a free person. No for the billionaires who deceive you into using their products. Try out, and you won't regret!