I'm in need of (or just want, anyway) a new computer, and this time around, I thought it'd be cool to build my computer from scratch. I'm going to buy the specific processors, video cards, etc and assemble what will hopefully be more to my liking than any stock assembly computer from the Staples' store shelf. Buying the hardware is simple - a matter of buying the best I can afford. I don't know what OS I should get. Or rather, I know what Windows XP is like, and I'm wondering what benefits Linux offers. Basically, when a person switches from Windows to Linux, what prompted the decision? Note that "Because it's not Microsoft" isn't a valid reason in my oppinion. Supporting the underdog can't be the only value. Any oppinions?