So you're saying that it costs 2.5 cents just to put your thoughts in now? I guess that's inflation for you.
Tom,Well, OK, my contribution rate went up.
Hey, here's a funny, but practical, idea: let's put
2 cents (or fractions of Rubbles, Yen, Euro's - or what have you)
in our piggy banks every time we post ...
At the end of the year, take it to the bank, send it to PayPal, and then click that Donate button up there!

I know several ways to crash or completely destroy a Linux install just by typing in a few commands.
Interesting. Can you do that without having Root priv.?
[...]all operating systems [...] have improved significantly [...] both in terms of stability and ease of use.
Without a doubt.
They main problem I have with Microsoft [...]
I'm with you on all those points.
I think I have a slight disagreement with you on one point.
Actually, after reading what you said there, I'd say we are on the same page. You refined the issues. Right, the installs of Linux and adding new packages is getting much easier. That's why I didn't do Linux more in the past - it seemed like it took a lot of time, whereas the windows installer was pretty much 'load and go' (that is if you had all the DLL dependencies otherwise it was OH NO!). However, because of all the flavors of installers across the various distributions, there's a bit of a learning curve, whereas the windows installer - specifically the windows update manager that can pull downloads direct from MS, - is seemless if you've got it set to auto and have the bandwidth. GrannyGeek mentioned somewhere before, what, in essence, is the way many user's rightfully see it: she's less concerned about
how something works than that it just does work. I'm the same way - the more hassle an action is, the less likely I am to get it done. "Plug and Play" has indeed evolved from "Plug and Pray."
Windows partly became as successful as it is today because OEMs started selling machines with Windows pre-installed. That's happening some with Linux now (netbooks, some other machines). That's about 3/4 of the battle right there.
Yup, maybe it's more like 90%. I think it's only those of us who like to dink around with computers who don't have a problem with installing or maintaining stuff.
... most people will be satisfied. There are other issues (configuration, applications, etc.) but I think those are coming along nicely.
Yes, there's hope for Open Computing.

ciao,
Howard