Well, it's not as "compatible" as Windows; I can't run some games I'd like to - not that I play too many of them anymore - and some programs I use won't work with Linux. Other than that, meh. Not much difference I see, except that Linux DOES use much better coding. (A hacker once found that a certain program coded for Windows was FORTY TIMES larger than it actually needed to be!) And it can be very secure as well. Mostly, by default. By its very nature, Windows is pretty insecure; you really need to do your homework to improve it, but I already know what to do, mostly. My ports are all stealthed (including the nasty 1025 that the native Windows Firewall CAN'T even close, resulting in that nast MS.Blaster worm a while back), raw sockets are shut down, Metafile Image Code Execution has been disabled... Lots of stuff to keep track of, but, having started out in DOS, and working my way up to Windows 95, then 98, then 98SE, and now XP Media Center Edition, I'm familiar with Windows. I'm comfortable with it, mostly. I'm still tapping into Linux; it's unbroken ground, however, I will say, it has some good compiling tools available... That's always fun...
Hmm, anyway, I wonder if it's such a good idea to "clutter up" Chomper360's welcome post with this discussion...? Not to be disrespectful to you or anything...
"And the Most High said unto Moses, Ahayah-Asher-Ahayah. And he said, Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel, Ahayah hath sent me unto you... This is my name forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations."
1953-2011... One day, mother, I shall see you again...