If you go for Linux looking for exactly the same experience, with the same set of programs, as with Windows, you'll be disappointed. They aren't there. There is, however, a free alternative for practically anything you would use in a Windows environment, and as a basic rule these are extremely professionally done and meet or exceed the quality of their Windows counterparts. In some areas, like video editing, there are no good free alternatives for Windows, while there are several ranging from consumer to professional-level for Linux.
The installation nightmare is also starting to be a thing in the past, but it depends a little on the distro one chooses to use. The last time I reinstalled all the stuff on my PC I went for a dual Windows 7/Ubuntu 9.04 install, and of those two Ubuntu was a bit easier. Moreover it was more ready straight ouf of the box, with the necessary drivers and applications, while I had to do some tweaking and install a ****load of apps to make 7 run well.
Imho the biggest problem consumer-wise is that people are afraid of change and want to stick with the stuff they've always used, and the fact that their views on Linux are based on stuff they've read or learned years ago.
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