I am living proof that a person can have below average intelligence and still have great success with Linux. As a teacher of visually impaired students, I spent much of the day dealing with Windows problems. In fact, I spent 12 hours installing the Windows OS and various programs on a computer for work. I had constant problems with program compatibility, drivers, and DLL's.

I only run Linux at home. I recently installed Suse 9.1 professional on my new home computer. I installed the OS and most of the programs from this five disk set in about an hour. The five disk set only costed about $6.00 including S&H from my Linux vendor.

I would rather eat glass than go back to the headaches of Windows. Linux is more stable, easier to install, easier to use, and less expensive.

I know I should not ask questions on this form. Still, I wonder how Microsoft stays in business, when Linux is better. How is this possible?

If you teach visually impaired students I would guess that you're above
average intelligence!

Besides I don't think people like to buy as much as they like being sold
to.
It takes the pressure off.

"Still, I wonder how Microsoft stays in business, when Linux is better. How is this possible?"

1) Big market share where they press vendors to comply to their standards, else they dont get to sell MS at all and thus also lose income. I know that vendors may not sell Linux in addition if they dont wanna lose the cheaper MS version/certificate. I personally think that MS should alone for this pay huge fines whenever they do so. After all this way they undermine competition and make a monopoly market.

2) Lazy people unwilling to try new OS, even though those OS can be a LOT more superior (have you tried rubyX? GoboLinux? ArchLinux? )

3) Multibillion dollar business where market shares and revenues dictate hard practices which is enforced with patents to batter at some "annoying" open source development.

4) Also dont forget that Microsoft products arent too bad - most of the time you can do ok stuff, especially if you use it in conjunction with open source software. I have a Win XP machine and just use it to convert Videos via Virtual Dub, and Avisynth scripts. I am quite happy with the results - but then again i believe thats almost more a problem with how to configure an OS or use other programs. On Linux i have not yet had a similar hassle-free installation.

Last but not least many many many people use MS just for online games like those stupid (i am sorry to say, they are stupid -the graphic rules and the rest is good but they are stupid :> ) shooters and others (doom3 has nice graphic, but come on - its stupid). Really, they dont do much beside on their machine except just playing games.

I dont think those gaming people will happily change to Linux - they are UNWILLING to change their working gaming enviroment.

If there would be a great Linux Game-distribution with an easy-to-configure wine etc... preconfigured, what do i know.... then i believe more people will switch quickly.
After all Linux is a LOT - and i mean - a LOT cheaper than MS.

Not to talk about efficiency or stability.
The price really slaps in on MS. See that they made a low-weight Win XP for Asia - however in Asia some chinese Linux Distributions gain popularity, plus many Win copies are "inofficial" anyway.
The more knowledgeable people are there, the better for all of us and our development for better products - not by hooking to monopolies.

My 1 cc

dreamcast, auditek747 & shevegen; agree with auditek747 & well said about linux. my exact sentiments as to why i am leaving W for linux,if only
the monopoly had not been so peverse in it quest of greed. open source
would and is being avoided for that reason. misunderstood is a disadvantge but gaining ground steadily as progress is made towards improvements become easier and less formidable. onward and upward linux.!