It's the problem of legacy and Microsoft's ridiculous integration strategy. Windows is a fat client for a thin world. There's no future place for the desktop client. Computing is shifting from the desktop to the device and server. Windows, particularly Vista, has too much middle-age girth to dance with the lithely crowd.

The time has never been better to try Linux. With improved hardware compatibility, excellent software applications, and superior stability and security, there's really nothing holding you back from giving Linux a try.

This is just a rant (hopefully it will be regarded as pertinent and non-'laming') on why Windows users try Linux and return frustrated to Windows after several hours or days. I won't praise Linux and the way it works, I won't even compare and say 'here Linux is easier because ...', instead I have a few questions for all of you who blame Linux for not being and behaving like Windows.

Canonical's leader Mark Shuttleworth has recently chimed in on an important aspect of desktop computing when it comes to Linux. Going over the role that Linux plays on the desktop and where its future lies, Shuttleworth specifically commented on a question issued about Wine – which as many of you may know, is the most popular way of running Windows-based programs on Linux.

Even after considering the success seen with Linux on netbooks, there is really no question that it feels like something ominous is holding back desktop Linux from the masses.

A search for "linux ready for desktop" brings millions of results on any search engine. The phrase "Linux Desktop Year" has been around 5 years now. Over the years, the question on its validity has been asked again and again. Fundamentally what does one mean by "Linux Desktop Year"?

A recent story at NewsForge made the point that people have been over-using the phrase; "ready for the desktop" a lot for the Linux desktop lately. His point, besides the fact that it's gotten to be one tired phrase, is that the real question is: whether "the OS is ready for your desktop? "

Not long ago, the overwhelming issue on the Linux desktop was catching up with Windows and OS X. Instead, the Linux desktop has become the testing ground for exactly what the future of computing will be, often places the free desktop at the center of experiment and innovation.

Todays rant will be based upon my history with linux, why I prefer linux, and some Windows desktop administration. Although I am 90% linux/unix in every aspect of computing, every once in a great while I get drawn into a situation that allows me to spend a few hours in the shoes of the windows desktop administrator.