More often than not….i find people justifying the use of Linux OS because there are no visible costs associated with the installation & use of Linux .Users justify the use of Linux because they don’t have to shell money out of their pockets to buy it !!!
But…How many of us really purchase an OS (read Windows) to use it ? I rarely have seen anyone purchasing an Windows OS for their Computers !!! With the Piracy laws not being strict enough, i don’t perceive any change in the scenario in coming years too !
Moreover….the free word in the Linux is not Related to Cost, rather it symbolizes the freedom given to users for the modification & distribution of code for free.The Support which comes with various Linux Distributions are not free, so you end up spending a lot of money over the Product life cycle !!!
Pirated Windows are being sold at every Nook & Cranny these days ! Considering that there is no price differential between the Two, i wonder why someone should opt for Linux ????
Scribbles of a Chaotic Mind 
One of my main incentives for switching to Linux (and gripes with Windows) is that I want to be able to do my work legally. Throughout college I found that my engineering studies required me to have access to a number of programs that I could not afford to buy (the nature of being in college is being poor – at the time, not all of them were available through the university). Many of these programs are available for free – legally – in Linux. Not that I would mind paying for the programs (a reasonable price) but I'm just not willing to drop 400-500$ per application. My position here is that, if we as a society intend normal conduct to be illegal conduct, then what point is there to having laws at all? When possible, work with the laws; if that's not possible, changes the laws; if that's not possible, disobey and advertise the disobedience so as to draw attention to the fundamental societal problem.
hey abhinav… am not surprised at your outlook towards linux, because I used to have pretty much the same outlook when i was pursuing my engg from BCET but linux not all about being free OS.. there is much more to it…but before going into that.. lemme tell yu something .. you cannot say that windows is free, it might be considered a case in india but not all over the world… and still if u feel that u haven’t seen anybody paying for windows OS then ask your college system admin and they’ll tell you how much tehy have paid for the OS … now there is reason to evrything and ofcourse their is reason behind this fact that MS dosent care much that people in india are using their OS for free, mainly because.. they know people in that part of world aren’t that rich then more importantly they want them to learn just windows.. so that it becomes popular and only version of OS people know and then when they get over to the professional world they see no other option other than paying for it…and if u feel that u can do anything with the pirated software then again you are wrong, to prove that… u know that in india you can easily get pirated Visual Studio easily and you can actually build a product on that software which can be sold in the market but when you go ahead and make it open to the world, then soon you’ll see a legal letter at your address as a gift from microsoft.. 🙂now when u think about the previous scenario.. then u’ll realize the benefit of free open sources of linux distros… Linux’s utilization doesn’t just end up here.. it has got a lot more to do with it.. Its provides you with the best and most reliable environment to program and develop marketable products..do give linux distro a try… if u are still not sure which one to try then go ahead ant try ubuntu… ubuntu has been rated the best OS for 2007.. try it an u’ll know the difference…