All your points noted and I agree with you but please understand the problems of the hardware guys too. The hardware guys are not into programming or its associated legal issues. Their first and foremost concern is to get their system up in munimum time with the least roadblocks and maximun compatibility with peripherial devices. At present the popular hardware that goes into a normal desktop computer is one that has only windows drivers in their cds. Even the peripherial as well as external device drivers are created more for the windows platform than linux.
This is the first time I am hearing that a hardware is developed for a particular OS. Man if these hardware vendor also provide a driver for their device ,then this problem wouldn't arise.It is the hackers who write these drivers either by extending some driver written for some similar device. I didn't have my sound card supported for several years just because the h/w co didn't want to release their specs.But those idiots didn't provide the drivers also. Once the specs came up some one came up with a driver for it and my device is working fine on it.
What I observed in linux is that it has an excellent core and as a standalone server with minimum peripherial devices, it is the best option. But in a desktop used for homes and small offices there is always some device or another than will not work properly on linux due to lack of liinux drivers provided by its manufacturer, as it would on windows. My own system is one such system where everything does not work on linux. The other options are to buy linux compatible hardware. This will increase costs which will not be acceptable to the customers when the other competitors are willing to do it cheap for them.
In this case the pressure should come up on the manufacturers to provide the drivers for linux too.This would speed up linux acceptance also.
As time goes by, a better situation will prevail where new hardware in the market will come with fully working linux drivers along with ther windows versions in the accompanying cds. That will be the turning point for linux where there will be no looking back to windows. Till then everyone, please be a little patient.
Best Wishes,
Rony.
Yeps ,when manufacturers start providing linux drivers then there will be no looking back. waiting for that day to come...
regards, Pankaj