I don't see why you make that comparison. Many distros (Ubuntu comes to mind) certainly cater to the same market as Windows and OS X, and do it very well.
You do not want to refine something, for the sake of simplicity, to the point where you can no longer easily understand what it's ingredients are. You need to be able to manipulate its ingredients (and the ingredients of others), at will, if you are true developer, inventor, creator.
I've also been using the Linux on the desktop since 1994 when Yggdrasil and Slackware got started, everyday as a developer.
I've also been using the Linux on the desktop since 1994 when Yggdrasil and Slackware got started, everyday as a developer.