This covers a summary of my attempts to use Linux as the "alternative operating system" it is touted for. This research covers countless hours of trying different distros and approximately $700 of purchasing subscriptions, boxed retail versions and even different hardware, all from a newbies point of view. This was originally out of curiosity and snowballed out of control in a quest to simply install and use any version of Linux as a second operating system. My hope is that I can highlight where the distributions of Linux are going wrong and help others interested in Linux, all from the perspective of a home user.