I use MintLinux and have been using Linux itself pretty much exclusively for over four years now. I always wanted to switch but until some applications matured enough I really couldn't. Then M$ did an update that locked me out of my tech web sites. (Not cool to do that to a tech head) and I said that was enough. The sites were safe but MS didn't like the information they were passing so they blacklisted them.

Yes, I could have fixed the problem in Windows but I didn't like what the decision makers at Redmond were doing. Linux has the best customization allowed. You can create any look or feel you want easily. What makes Linux so much better is that we the end users have choice. Yes you have some limited options in Windows but you can't really change the interface. (Though KDE is working on changing that. However, I'm willing to bet $$$ that MS will find a way to keep it from being really useful.)

All points are valid but Linux has one major weakness. No standards when it comes to user tools. This is a pain in the neck at times and so I have looked at and played with all the major distros trying to find out what worked best for me. Kubuntu was the closest answer for a long time but I found that LinuxMint was even better when they finally released a KDE version. Sometimes reinventing the wheel isn't such a good idea.