@≠ now we're being honest. Your contention, is as I have suspected. You prefer the familiar, intuitive, user interface of Windows. It's the perception of all those things, on which you base your preferences. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with that. However, it's a far cry from declaring Linux as being over bloated, etc, when we have no metric, to show the relative accuracy of such a statement, since, while the Linux kernel, may be audited, by anyone, because, the code is freely available, the same cannot be said, about the other two systems, included in your initial reply. Also, whereas, those two operating systems are, Homogeneous, Linux is merely, a kernel and Linux is also, simultaneously, independent groups of distributions with, the only commonality, being just the kernel. So, the perception of over bloat, over engineering, becomes a more relative and subjective reality.

The choice of operating systems may have, for some, the commodity of intuition and user friendliness, but that may only be the attraction for some and in our case, for many. The fact that many people prefer a certain product or activity, only proves that it may be popular and common, not that it is any good, or the best or even the worst. It's a preference based on, as you may have hinted at, confidence. Confidence in one's own abilities, confidence in the product's reliability and perhaps, confidence in the product's predictability. One can easily wrap one's mind around that type of thinking. However, my main point in all of this, is, it's all based on preferences, perception and yes, confidence too but also, for anyone to be happy with the operating system being used, one first must have choices, which we have, followed by, the ability to use whichever operating systems chosen, to include software and the competence to follow through.

The reasons why some people migrate away from propriety operating systems are, varied, however one of the main reason is, the ability to improve the software and operating system via changing the code. Now, if one is capable enough, one will be satisfied and will hardly fall short as it is within one's own hands to control one's destiny, in this specific realm. The people who seem to complain and moan, are the ones that aren't persistent enough to find the answers to the questions and mysteries, for which they seek. In the case of Linux and the other Unix like operating systems, that kind of clarity is more readily achievable.

I've been using Linux and other Unix Like systems for decades now, almost exclusively and I don't seem to have the restlessness that I have witnessed in others. I started out with Apples, then I built my first PC's and eventually, found out about the free and open source communities. Since then the learning have never stopped. People that love study, experiments, tinkering and hacking can appreciate the potential possibilities. It goes far beyond software too, since there are many similar types of software that do the same things and substitutes can be made so one is hardly ever restricted by those narrow confines, especially now in relatively modern times. It's all about preferences and I'm sure of it.