so compatibility issues with applications will be kept to a minimum.
Minimum? Well, I'm convinced.
but none of them have a large market share;
Always the problem. But most I've looked at over the years have suffered mainly from unfriendly interfaces, with little or no reliable support.
I'd love to be able to say that that will change but any who, like me, have looked at the alternatives over the years will agree, the reality is not quite the same.
But there are a couple of developments on the horizon which might make a difference. Major vendors adapting a version of Linux as their own. A single OS will ensure stability since it will be in the companies interest to ensure that it is. Interference from third party script writers can be kept to a minimum. Steam is not my favourite company personally, but they are currently testing a Beta version of their SteamOS. The final die later.
http://store.steampowered.com/steamos
Another approach is an open sourced OS aimed at Windows comparability.
https://www.reactos.org/
Not sure how well this is doing frankly. I am a member of the project but getting any information from anyone else is not easy.
As things stand, both projects in hand, there aren't many absolutes to go on yet. But it does seem to be the way things will be going. M$ isn't the friendly Uncle Bill of old.
All of which is essentially irrelevant to my original point:
Does anyone trust M$ sufficiently to exchange what we have now, an unstable and problematic OS by irrevocably installing what amounts to a freebee with little or no assurance it won't be worse?
