[ywecur]

I don't think this is the problem at all. Ubuntu, for example, is perfectly usable and a very good alternative to Windows.

The main problem, I'd say, is that there really isn't much of a reason to switch. People who buy a computer don't have any incentive to go through the with hassle.

If computers came with Ubuntu pre-installed I'm sure people would use those without a second thought.

[afarrell]

Perhaps desktop Ubuntu has indeed gotten significantly better over the past 3 years since I switched to OSX?

[ywecur]

Install Virtualbox and try it out. I'd say it's gotten way better.