In the next year, I'm deciding to stop using windows. This is because Microsoft is going to discontinue their "standard" service period for the XP, and Vista has DRM and other Orwellian features.

I want to know, what other good and RELIABLE OS are there? I'm still going to use the IBM PC, so what is "reliable" as in very professionally made and fully mature? Is linux such an OS?

I don't see the need to stop using XP. It will still be a viable operating system for many years. Extended service will continue, and critical updates for security will still be issued. I don't intend to stop using it till new hardware simply doesn't get XP drivers. And even then I may keep a "legacy" system around just to run XP.

I use Vista in a secondary partition, mostly because I like the way Media Center works with my tv/capture card. I have not run into any issues with the DRM installed in Vista. Not anymore than the DRM installed in XP.

The best alternative for an operating system is probably Mac OSX. But that requires Apple hardware, which you have ruled out.

I have tried Linux several times, just to learn a bit about the system. I always ended up deleting the partition and going back to XP. I found it unintuitive coming from a Windows environment. Ubuntu was the easiest to set up and use for me, but I have too many programs that simply won't run in Linux, even under Wine, and there aren't good alternatives for them in Linux.

I believe my experience in Linux is fairly typical for a casual user experimenting with the operating system. If you have enough incentive, I believe you can migrate from Windows successfully. I just didn't have such an incentive.

The DRM restriction with Vista won't be activated until 2010.

I guess I'll just stick with Xp then, you know how after 2009 they will ONLY issue security updates? It's like Windows 2000 not getting media player 11, because it has entered into the "extended service period".

After many years though, I'll have to use something else if Vienna also has DRM restrictions. Maybe I'll have to get Mac.

jst to chime in here. been an avid windows user for many years(and still do at work,friend,ect...) but at this point I,m running 3-ubuntu(ultimate editions) and slowly showing the wifey also. theres nothing that m$ has that doesent fit into linux.if it doesent then theres a counter part for that in linux. the folk here actually started me out and I,ve been running and visiting and having to relearn things but for the most part its been painless.of corse theres a learning curve as with all else in life but just ask in the forums and if it has'nt been asked you'll get a good answer.just to point you in the right direction check this out http://forumubuntusoftware.info/
and take a look at 1.7 and hardy hurion is right around the corner.
just rember you didnt learn to walk in one day!!
good luck!!