Here is a list of user types that just love Linux and are happy with it:
Geeks
Software Developers
Here is a list of user types that cannot move to Linux because there is no professional software for them available on that OS:
Gamers ;-)
Photographers (ask your local print shop or photographer why The GIMP won't do)
Graphic Designers
Web Designers
Musicians
Physicians (as in "Medical Doctor")
The regular office lady (no, OpenOffice alone just won't do - ever heard the terms "makros" and "templates" and "workflow"?)
Almost any other profession in need of specialized software.
The reason why there is no software available for that type of user is also a very simple one: The big companies don't think that Linux users are willing to pay money for their software, which is why they won't port to Linux.
If you want the perfect combination of the strengths of Unix and a commercially accepted desktop, go for Mac OS X. It has a Mach kernel with a FreeBSD userland, an X11 server and most Linux apps can be compiled and run on it -- in case there is no OS X port available. Yep, even things like MonoDevelop and The GIMP run on OS X. If you need a Windows app, run it in Parallels - with latest version even seamlessly on the OS X desktop.
Whoever does not need any specialized application might be able to live just fine with Linux. But none of the toys that I use on a daily basis exists for it, so using Linux for me is basically like going on a Safari in Adventureland. It's nice for a trip, but I just cannot live there.
By the way, I prefer FreeBSD over Linux anytime, I even have a FreeBSD server in our production environment here -- but that's just because I like the Beastie character mor than the penguins. ;-)
Geeks
Software Developers
Here is a list of user types that cannot move to Linux because there is no professional software for them available on that OS:
Gamers ;-)
Photographers (ask your local print shop or photographer why The GIMP won't do)
Graphic Designers
Web Designers
Musicians
Physicians (as in "Medical Doctor")
The regular office lady (no, OpenOffice alone just won't do - ever heard the terms "makros" and "templates" and "workflow"?)
Almost any other profession in need of specialized software.
The reason why there is no software available for that type of user is also a very simple one: The big companies don't think that Linux users are willing to pay money for their software, which is why they won't port to Linux.
If you want the perfect combination of the strengths of Unix and a commercially accepted desktop, go for Mac OS X. It has a Mach kernel with a FreeBSD userland, an X11 server and most Linux apps can be compiled and run on it -- in case there is no OS X port available. Yep, even things like MonoDevelop and The GIMP run on OS X. If you need a Windows app, run it in Parallels - with latest version even seamlessly on the OS X desktop.
Whoever does not need any specialized application might be able to live just fine with Linux. But none of the toys that I use on a daily basis exists for it, so using Linux for me is basically like going on a Safari in Adventureland. It's nice for a trip, but I just cannot live there.
By the way, I prefer FreeBSD over Linux anytime, I even have a FreeBSD server in our production environment here -- but that's just because I like the Beastie character mor than the penguins. ;-)