The major issue with any Linux distro is the multiple ways it can break and when it happens, you either have to be very knowledgable in that particular distro and software installed, or you need to pay for support so they can fix it. In the past, I've resorted to make a script that check various forums for issues mentioning updates waiting. If non have popped up after 1 week, the updates is probably safe to install. Probably includes when it isn't, and can easily result in a full day of downtime trying to fix a X11 driver problem until the specifics and canonical workarounds have been learned.

I simply don't have time for that on a day to day basis where I need my machines to just work. I need it to work to the extend that I now have a base machine running Windows and with VMWare Workstation installed. All production work is done inside a VM with daily snapshots so I can always go back to before it was broken, and then tackle the issue when I have time for it. If my machine suddenly goes up in smoke, I can restore my production machines on another machine. I never have more downtime than buying a new machine, installing VMWare WS, and restoring my VMs results in.

Honest question: when was the last time you used Linux or Ubuntu? I haven't seen an X11 issue in years. Your argument still has merit, I've been burned on misconfigured packages in the past. But for everyday use (browser, text/image editing, chat, docs, etc) these problems simply don't exist. The network, print, display, and audio drivers have gotten very good if not on-par with Windows.

About a year ago I switched back. Ubuntu doesn't really feel like it's providing me anything Windows cannot, and Arch tends to go down burning when it is most needed to be reliable.

My biggest problem was multiple monitors. The setup was, and still is, an absolute pain to get working properly with difference screen size and dynamic docking/undocking of a laptop.