I'm sure I've already said something similar in another thread, but...
I was always a reluctant Windows user. I don't think I've really loved Windows since 1990-91 with version 3.0 (yes, not 3.1) when I experienced the joy of getting Trumpet Winsock working for free internet access (1200 baud!) through my university shell account. After that, the novelty really wore off and I was annoyed with its problems and limitations. OS/2 and Mac OS helped me get by until I started experimenting with Linux in `98 (Red Hat 5.0 - "Hurricane"). They were (more) stable and fun to use.
I tried Linux because it was free, worked on my 486, was easy to install (by ftp), and it was growing and progressing so quickly. It was an exciting time.
I use Linux full time at home and at work (as a dektop) because it is incredibly stable, has great software written by brilliant and creative people, has a choice of GUIs that proprietary OS's could only wish for, and... it's still free. It's fun to use and I like the fact that I still have a lot to learn about it. The fact that the limitations are mostly what I know and have tried with it, and not what it can do, makes me admire it greatly. How many operating systems can you say that about?
- T.