It's not simply a matter of learning curves. I would say vi has a pretty steep learning curve, but you get something out of it if you do learn it. Same for using a Unix shell effectively. On the other hand, knowing about Linux driver issues has no value in itself for any regular user.

Setting up Linux on a laptop is always a gamble. Sometimes it works flawlessly and at other times it's a nightmare. I recently tried to make Ubuntu work on one particular laptop. Installing it was no problem whatsoever, but the CPU just wouldn't enter C3 power state, which meant that it ran extremely hot.

I tried to deactivate every single driver to find out which one kept the CPU busy. I had to resolve all the driver interdependencies, recompile the kernel, etc. But even on a completely stripped down OS the CPU just wouldn't enter C3. None of the many tips and tricks on various Linux on laptops sites would work.

Could I have pursued this further? Sure, and at some point I would have found a solution, but it wasn't worth my time frankly.

I think Linux on laptop/desktop can work if hardware vendors get behind it and sort out all the driver issues. Everything else can be resolved by the Linux community but drivers are unsuitable for the open source model as long as some hardware vendors keep their specs secret.

The choice of distros definitely is key. How bad it is also depends on how long you've been working with computers in general. I've noticed that people who started pre-Win95 tend to make the transition a bit more easily. It helps a little if you're at least comfortable working with a CLI, doing basic scripting, etc.

I don't think that is the case anymore. At least Ubuntu is a lot easier to use than Windows. Although granted, a few thinks have to be set up properly before the fun can begin, like video codecs.