That is just conspiracy theory that is completely false.
Truth is that people use operating system and brand name computer what they feel the most comfortable with. Vast majority of people for various reasons feel most comfortable and familiar using Windows while Mac people only trust Apple.
Same like with the cars – advertising is everywhere by all car companies but people buy what they have money for and car brand name they think gives them the best value for that kind of money.

Right on the money Jack.
Linux guys do not want to answer question : “Why do you give your product for free and only 3% of the people want it and use it ?”
I ran all my mission critical software on Debian Linux (spreadsheet, word processor, database) but Windows wins hands down for everything else.
As you mention above adding any new hardware is flip a coin if it will work or not. Linux wastes developers working on hundreds of distributions and desktop environments and nobody wants to work on new drivers and new hardware support bug fixing is lousy too.

Rather, Linux would simply be taken over by corporate interests and the desktop will become like Tiktok.

It would be nice if usage rose a tad to, say 5%, but I never want to see it above 10%.

No, I go outside a lot. I also read a lot of tech sites. Being curious is one thing, making comments running something down is another. What I don’t do is go on Windows sites and disparage Windows to people who like Windows. I hate Windows, but it seems a useless waste of time to do that. Not on that but it is very rude. If you are happy use what you like and what works for you. But you will never convince me Windows is better, no matter how hard you try, and I see no reason to try to convince you Linux is better if you are a Windows fan. Again, just a waste of time.

If you have a budget of $1.5k for a laptop you have a choice of Linux laptops. Look at System76 in the US, Tuxedo in Germany, Slimbook in Spain, Entroware in the UK. They all supply strong kit and they will all cope with multiple distros. Hope you make the leap, I am sure you won’t regret it.

What are you talking about Linux not working out of the box. Linux has worked with out any hardware problems on my last 6 computers. I have bought several Android endoscope and I still can not fer them to work with Android, but worked right off with my Linux computers. BTW I got into using Linux when the mother board on my Microsoft Windows e-Machine computer went bad and I bought a new MB and it did not work with my Windows OS, so I then switched to Linux and had not trouble getting into Linux and that was in 2006. So you can not state everything works out of the box with Microsoft,because it doesn’t. Also I had a Music capture device and the instructions and the company said it would not work with anything but Windows. I actually emailed them and that was the reply. Well I found that by using Audacity I could use the device just fine with Linux. I even emailed the company and told them that and they still said it only worked with Windows. Well it also works just fine with Linux.

You are correct, if Linux was used by the schools it would bounce to being number one. does M$ still have the Blue Screen of Death?