Ubuntu starts out with brownie points because it is clean, fast, and powerful. Software opens and shuts down quickly, and the number of open applications seems to have no effect on the system's stability or speed. Ubuntu includes just about everything you need to simply plug in a device and see it work. Not only that, but Ubuntu also has a lot of good tutorials and friendly community help. Some problems still may require a time investment and some frustration on your part, but they are much fewer than in the past.

With Windows, it's easy to install all the devices, and with the exception of PictBridge, they just work. However, Windows gets demerits for the opposite reasons Ubuntu gets points — it is bloated, slow, restrictive, and crashes frequently.