I use Windows XP and Vista for my home operating system, not because of it's userability and interface, rather because 99% of all programs are made for XP and I need this compatibility for all the programs I use on a daily basis.

Personally, I'm not a Mac fan, so they don't have viruses, big deal. If your not ignorant then your not going to have a problem running XP. It took me 6 fresh starts on XP until I finally got the hang of it and I haven't had to start a fresh Windows XP in over a year now, because I know how to maintain my system.

I'm also the CTO over at a hosting company, we use Cent OS which is a distro of Linux, and it is very nice. We have had servers running without even a need for a system reboot for 3 months. We keep the system up to date on it's kernel, control panel and other system updates. No problems with it, I'm sure if we were using Windows as an OS for our servers then we might run into some problems.

Linux has become widely successfull because it's the only OS that is open source, allowing the whole world to see what grinds its gears, therefore making it the most secure operating platform in today's thriving economy.