[G3n0t]

Non sense. Linux makes many details about computers much more explicit than Windows does. Even installing Ubuntu teaches you something about how computers boot, what partitions are and file systems do. Linux also makes it easy to get started in programming on the OS level -- thanks to the Internet it is way easier to find information about how everything works.

So from a learning experience perspective, a kid tinkering with Linux might gain more insight into how computers work and than, say, on Windows or Mac.

[A4ET8a8uTh0]

Agreed. I still remember my first foray into linux install. PC wouldn't boot afterwards and I had no one to shepherd me through it. These days if I want to get information on how to get something working, 9/10 someone already posted it for your benefit.

Some of things are worse, but some things got infinitely better.