14 DAY TRIAL // You've just installed Vista OS on your PC that came equipped with 1 or 1,5 GB of RAM a year ago and you noticed your system isn't running as fast as it was when it ran the XP version of Windows. What can you do?
The thing that every Vista user out there has done at least once: you go to the store and buy yourself another GB of RAM and probably a more powerful processor. Now you're running Vista at (almost) peak performance and you're definitely satisfied with it even though your pocket or bank account feels a little lighter.
This is probably the scenario behind most of the Vista stories people have gone through when they had their first Vista experience. Of course, this would be true for the ones that think they have made a good choice and not for those that went back to their previous XP installation or inserted a Linux live CD and formatted the entire drive so they can forget about it forever.
Why do you think most Vista users that have used it for some time now don't think about changing their OS with an open source one? The money argument should be a pretty strong motivation considering the fact that Vista isn't that cheap and there are enough people out there that can't afford to buy a copy and to upgrade their systems to be Vista ready so they can enjoy its full potential.
The reasons why this happens are obvious if you've spent enough time using Vista at work and/or at home: the software designed for Vista is more stable than its open source relatives therefore you will benefit from a more stable work environment, the eye candy side will not make your system behave randomly causing crashes when you least expect it - as in the case of Ubuntu's Compiz (it happened to me when running Edgy and Feisty with an Nvidia graphics card so no one can deny this) and the last and probably the most important thing is the fact that no Vista user will be forced to use anything similar to the Linux terminal while working under Vista.
The last argument is probably the strongest thing that keeps Vista users - and Windows ones generally speaking - away from Linux. Although it isn't that bad once you get used to it and the community support will be mind blowing when you get in any trouble (just go on any Linux related forum and ask any random question you want and you'll get an answer faster than expected) Windows users still fear IT.
They will always have a GUI to make any configuration in Vista; therefore they'll stick to it as long as Linux configurations are conditioned by working with a terminal window.