Ubuntu vs. Windows vs. Mac OS

Source: XKCD (2010)

I started using Ubuntu 10.04 a few weeks ago due to misgivings with Windows and Mac OS. It's been an interesting (and sometimes difficult) experience, but if you are willing to deal with the steep learning curve, I highly recommend at least trying it. The more people that use it, the better it will eventually get.

Right now, I'm dual-booting Ubuntu and Windows XP on the same computer (i.e. I select which of the two I want to run when the computer boots up). It's a really excellent option for someone who wants different things from different environments. (Customization and window management from Ubuntu, giant software library from Windows.)

By default, Ubuntu is probably somewhere in between Mac and Windows in terms of interface. A Mac-like panel is at the top, and a Windows-like bar displaying active programs is on the bottom. But because you can customize things, you can change it to your liking. I opted for a more Mac-like experience, which you can see in these screenshots:

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And here's my obligatory comparison chart, in case you're curious:

Ubuntu	Windows	Mac OS
+ Completely free and open source. +/- Very customizable, but you'll run into bugs. Incredible, though, when everything is working. + Works with most hardware, often without additional drivers. - Steep learning curve. You'll probably end up needing to be doing some command line stuff if you want the most out of the experience. + Minimal viruses, malware, exploits, etc. (UNIX-based.) - Small proprietary software library.	+/- Different versions of the OS range in price. + Fairly customizable. + Works with nearly all hardware (due to its huge market share). +/- Fairly intuitive, but things can get sluggish if you don't do regular system maintenance. - Lots of viruses, malware, exploits, etc. (again, largely due to its market share). + Ginormous software library.	- Premium prices, for both OS and hardware. - Minimally customizable so you can't mess up stuff. - Limited hardware support. + Just works. Fairly intuitive. No maintenance necessary. + Mac viruses are pretty much an oxymoron. (UNIX-based.) +/- Decent proprietary software library. But excellent applications for audio/visual stuff.

5/31 update:

Three reasons why Ubuntu is better than Mac OSX: maximizable windows, print selection, cut-and-paste.