[lqdc13]

I get the joke and I've been aggressively trying to avoid it. But you can't, unless you only deal with phones or server backend.

Coming from a Linux user, for most people, Windows is the only usable non-Apple-hardware OS, unfortunately.

[pksadiq]

I was able to convince several people to move from windows to GNU/Linux. In some cases, it didn't took more than 2 minutes!

Case 1: Religious/moral people: If you are using unauthorized (pirated?) copies of windows, isn't it like stealing? Think of the amount you are stealing just by installing M$-something, Adobe something, etc.

How can you wish that your money/wealth shouldn't be stealed when you steals somebody else's money?

Case 2: Business people: Have you ever contacted M$ for support? Then why would you pay them, just for something that runs viruses smoothly, and occasionally having blue screen of death?

Case 3: Personal: I came to know that I was like a frog in a well when I was introduced to GNU/Linux. Thanks to Microsoft for wasting my 10 years of time. Now I know about windows, may be more than some windows admin would do, just because I don't use windows anymore!

Serious GNU/Linux users may not have a solution known for an immediate problem. But they know how to find a solution or where to look for it.

[saghm]

I generally tend to shy away from trying to convince people that they should change their operating system. I find it quite annoying in the (thankfully rare) occasions that some overzealous Mac user tries to tell me that my choice of machine/operating system is inferior, so I find it hard to believe that other people wouldn't feel the same way if I tried to someone else that their choice is incorrect (even if I feel strongly that it is).

Of course, if someone is interested in learning more about Linux, I'll happily teach them as much as they want to know and give them my opinions of the advantages of using Linux. But unless the person is already open to hearing my opinions on the topic, it tends to be a waste of both of our time.