And I would submit that I have a *MUCH* higher tolerance for computer-related pain than your average user.
Based on that, I will submit (and I would have maintained even when I used it) that Linux is *not* ready for the general-user's desktop experience. There are lots and lots of really smart people working on Linux. But they're way too involved in internal politics of my-kit-is-better-than-your-kit (KDE vs. GNOME, rabid GNU adherents vs. those who would rather just get stuff done, etc.) There's a missing of the forest for the trees.
We should be further along than we are by now. It's sad that Linux isn't there yet.