Windows is crap

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I think Pidgin can be use as a Skype client, but it needs the real Skype running, so it isn't really that great.

I don't think Microsoft will abandon Skype for Linux, though. They recently released an update. I think they improved on video conversations and a few other things. I think also they, sadly, added more irrelevant stuff like they did to MSN ( Facebook integration and stuff like that. ) Have been using W7 a bit recently, so I might remember this wrong.

well its not fair to compare linux and windows. Linux is unix and it is completely different from windows

I don't follow. They're both OSes. They certainly compete with each other to a degree. If things compete, you can compare them

Exactly. Also, I think Linux is only based off Unix.

Windows 95 was better than MacOS 7.5.2, and Windows 7 is better than the latest version of MacOS X.
But the future belongs to Linux. Windows Vista since SP1 is not bad, but upgrading Vista to SP1 was awful.
Windows 8 will not be good.

*cough* the future belongs to Linux? Good luck.

Linux could replace windows but it won't in the foreseeable future for a variety of reasons:

1. Linux is perceived by the average user as difficult to use unless you have a high degree of technical skill. (Of course this isn't true, a lot of distros are pretty idiot proof nowadays.)
2. Windows comes preinstalled on almost all new PCs and very few users will change their OS.
3. A lot of software is windows only so even if you do decide to switch, you have to change the programs you use. This is very intimidating to the average user who can barely handle the applications they are already used to.

People have been saying Linux will take over the PC market in the near future for a long time; it still hasn't happened and won't for a long time (if ever).

Every computer in the house has Ubuntu on it. My Mom's laptop, My Dad's computers in the office, (one is mostly used by my Mom), my My Dad's lended laptop which he hardly ever used has Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. I installed it, because it was failing, Linux brought it back to life. It has 10.04 LTS, because it is really old, and can't handle the latest OS. The rest of the computer have Ubuntu 12.04 LTS.

My Dad's main office computer, runs Windows as his main OS. His main computer, has two HDD's, one with Linux and one with Windows. The only problem with Linux, is that his accounting application (Simple Accounting) isn't compatible wtih Linux, and you can't import that data into any other app. I've tried. Also, the scanner doesn’t work, but strangely, the printer does. The scanner and printer is in the same machine. It's a printer, scanner, and fax combo. Everything else works.

Out of 6 computers in the house, only one that Windows exists.

1. Linux *is* genuinely more difficult to use. Common use cases have become a lot simpler (not simple enough) in distros like Ubuntu, but anytime you go off the beaten path things become ridiculous quickly (and excessive Googling ensues). This is completely unacceptable for a modern OS and it is a result of not enough developers spending not enough time, and not enough UI professionals. There are too many cases where a user can fall into a situation they can't understand in Linux - it happens to me and I have 5 years of Linux experience. These types of situations should never happen, ever. They certainly happen less frequently on Windows and OSX. So kudos to Ubuntu for making the most common use patterns work in a sane way. Keep working.
2. People would change if the reason to change were compelling. If "Windows comes preinstalled" is reason enough, your product is weak. Linux should be installable as a usermode app on Windows, as a self sufficient VM. That would get people playing - if they had reason to play.
3. It's not just intimidating, it's also unacceptable to have to ditch existing apps, especially when the open source Linux equivalents are perceived as inferior, which is pretty much all of them for almost everyone. WINE should be one of the primary focuses of Linux developers and it isn't.

You are right though that Linux taking over the desktop is something that isn't going to happen. It *could* still happen at this late hour if the right people did the right things, but they won't and probably can't. It has "sort of" taken over the mobile space if you consider Android Linux.

I remember in the 90s people raved about how Linux would take over, and I actually bought a retail copy of Red Hat at Best Buy. It was a waste of $50, I couldn't even get it installed and I was a professional developer.

When I was trying Ubuntu almost 2 years ago. I was so impressed, that I did a fresh install on my laptop and haven't looked back. It was the easiest OS I've ever used, and I've used a lot, many Windows OS, and a version of Mac.

It was very easy for one thing, becuase of the menu and at the top, that was in groups, and you knew exactly where everything was, Applications | Places | Settings
The new interface (called Unity) is a bit less user firnedly for those who are new for Linux at first, becuase there is not taskbar (unless that person is never relied in the taskbar to switch between windows), there is no menu for the apps, you gotta type in the app name or type into the dash. Other then that, I love it.

The old Interface (Gnome2) would probably be easier for new users starting out on Linux. I press the super key (Windows Key) + W and it brings up a live preview of all my windows I have open. I love that. When I finally made the switch to Ubuntu 12.04 (with the Unity interface), It took me a little while to get used to it. My Mom seems to have no trouble with it. My folks are as advanced computer users as I am, but the get the hang of it. Also, the guy from my Dad's company uses one of the computers in the office (which has Ubuntu 12,04 on, every computer in the house does). He doesn’t seem to have any problem with it.

He was upset after I had changed the interface, because when he got there, I wasn't around to tell him about it, but he was able to use it.

That's my input.

I agree with the conclusion that users have gotten more lazy and have a very small attention span. I have a few users here at work that need password resets at least twice a week.

You're the first person I've ever heard say that I mean that they like Unity.

Steam is coming to linux and others are coming over to it as they think windows 8 will mean that they will have to sell on microsofts app market and will make money out of it.

Crap how did I miss this? Microsoft is going to kill Windows with this stunt.

What does that mean exactly?

There is a new API MS wants people to write apps to that provides the true "Windows 8" (formerly Metro) UI and other features. This differentiates those apps from "legacy" Windows apps. Any app written to the new Windows API must be distributed only through the MS app store. MS gets a 20-30% cut from all app sales.

I see an antitrust suit on the horizon. That and/or web apps become the de facto "way". Apple has already pulled stunts like disabling WebGL in Safari to prevent developers from producing web apps that are good enough to compete with app store apps.

I had nothing to complain about with Windows 7 other than very specific issues. This changes that