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Unless you're a computer addict, it's hard to find a program that does what you need but isn't packaged by Ubuntu. Name a program that isn't packaged that somebody new to Linux would need. Even then, there are usually websites with user-compiled DEB or RPM packages, as well as official or unofficial backports repositories and Personal Package Archives.
Linux: Beta/RC version of application released every two weeks with cutting-edge features and usually partly broken. Stable version released just before new distros come out and are included in the next release.
Windows: Just the six-monthly stable version at best. At worst, yearly pay-for upgrade with few new features except supporting a new version of Windows.
If you ignore the unstable versions of Linux applications, you usually get up-to-date everything until the next six-montly distro release with the new stable version.
Six-monthly stable version? I've been using XP for a solid 5+ years now without problems or glitches.
I'm sorry, but you're wrong. YES, default Ubuntu is roughly the same speed as XP in my experience. But, Windows suffers from performance slowdown over time (My Vista takes 10s to open FF on a fast computer 2 months after the install while Ubuntu is still instant like day 1.) Also, lighter distros than Ubuntu are availible that still provide a full user experience but are much faster than Windows - Xubuntu. At its fastest, of course, full Linux kernel can run on mobile devices, while Windows can't be stripped down very far.
I know. I'm trying to put it in simpler terms. Linux is set up so you shouldn't require a day-to-day admin account (Microsoft allows third parties to deamnd admin rights for simple apps, hence UAC annoyance), and also many pieces of malware simply will not run since they aren't binary compatible. Finally, Linux installs Firefox by default which means you never have to use an insecure browser, which is the attack vector for the majority of applications.
Windows XP (which is what I use on a day to day basis) is faster than most every distro which provides equivalent features (full GUI, etc). "Stripping down" an OS is pretty simple and in fact a clean XP install is exactly what it is, clean. Just as with Linux, the user can overload the system and weigh it down. Just try playing with Adobe's latest flash stuff on some distros and watch your precious Linux come screetching to a halt. If you have a stupid user, you will have a problematic system... regardless of the OS.
Also, once again about the Browser--user error is the largest cause of all problems. Browse intelligently and it's not a problem. Either way, a quick trip to Mozilla will fix that problem in a jiffy.
Again, I am well aware of the reality, but suppose Microsoft releases Windows 7 with must-have features A, B and C, and the next version of Ubuntu also has these features. The Windows user will have to a) buy retail, costing over $100 for the uncrippled versions or b) more likely buy a whole new computer to support the huge hike in system requirements the new Windows brings, paying for OEM Windows too. The Linux user will click the new distribution release button and have the new features on the same day for free
And then a stray glitch in the latest HAL Daemon update will fark up the entire system. Again, it's a mixed blessing. You get all the benefits of instant updates and all the perils of them as well.
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