Linux is much more than that and first and foremost you have to realize that it is different. you cannot grasp linux by trying it out for a few hours, days or even weeks. You probably will even hate it because linux behaves different than anything you are used to and you will feel helpless and stupid. Also the windows-paradigm won't help you much in the linux world.

You have to relearn even the very fundamental things and learn plenty of other things too but at the end you are in control of your system and probably for the first time you do truely understand an operating system. That's why experienced linux-folks never need to reinstall their system. If an error occurs they simply fix it. Its all because they know their system. It is not being locked away from them as is with proprietary Software.

But even as a desktop -- and linux is definetly(also) a desktop -- it has reached a state where it can compete with windows and Mac OS. And it will most likely be even better in three to five years due to the fast development that is significant to OSS. Linux will eventually take over a great portion of the desktop market too though I (unfortunately) doubt that it will ever kick MS off the throne.

furthermore, you shouldn't neglect the attraction of the opensource philosophy on which linux and co are based. Most people preferr freedom over restrictions set by proprietary software.