[DennisP]

I'm not convinced that's the case. A few years ago I had a laptop with pre-installed Ubuntu and it worked without any fiddling. You certainly can turn Linux into a hobby and try all sorts of variations, which isn't really an option with Windows or Mac. But you don't have to do that.

[queenkjuul]

Buying it preinstalled is the trick. Installing Linux on a laptop without official vendor support can be unpleasant.

[DennisP]

Yes. Most people buy OS X and Windows preinstalled, too.