if i every get an extra crappy laptop, or a new pc, i will probably install linux on one.
http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/
I love linux to death, but that page fails to mention several things under the "Why Not" category.
I have Ubuntu Linux installed on both my laptop and my desktop next to a dual boot with window XP and primarily use Ubuntu for most of my daily needs on the laptop.
That being said if you want to get the most out of your linux install you are going to need to do a lot more tweaking than you ever would in a windows system, not to mention finding proper drivers is a pain in the arse sometimes. (sound still does not work on my desktop). Want to run Dual Monitors? Better set aside a couple of hours to
try to get it to work, and prepare yourself for failure.
As I stated at the beginning of this post, I really like linux, and I enjoy using it immensely. Ubuntu Linux takes ease of use further than any other Distro I have used and has an excellent support base. It is fun to use and the windows manager is amazing, literally blows the farce that is Aero out of the water into pieces then takes a crap on the pieces, freezes them, smashes them, burns them, then dissolves them in acid. Its that much better.
If you are familiar with computers and willing to learn then I strongly urge you to try out Linux. However, if you are not prepared to spend hours troubleshooting problems and donut really like editing text files to change settings then its probably not your thing. Its easy to try out though and I gotten 4 people that i know immediately to try it out, two of them have stuck with it, two of them decided that it was not worth the hassle.