Linux/Unix has a significantly lower barrier to entry compared to Windows and a much nicer command line interface that just works by default. Want to install a C compiler? Just run apt-get install gcc and you are golden. Same for python, ruby, haskell and any other language under the sun. I've barely used Windows since I've outgrown the my fascination for computer games, it has nothing compelling to offer for someone working in a scientific environment, who is not forced to use Microsoft Office.
Yeah, sure, your one cherry-picked use case is awesome. To counter that, I recently tried putting together a wiki server using apt-get, and for some reason the apt-get installed an out of date version of the software that didn't work with the apt-get version of apache I was using, so I ended up having to manually download it anyway and patch a bunch of configuration files. The windows version just used an installer that set it all up right with a few clicks.
Maybe now you've 'outgrown' video games you can outgrow thinking that your user experience is authoritative. Better, nicer, whatever, these are all just words people use to praise things that they like.
But saying Linux / Unix has a lower barrier to entry than Windows is the kind of thing only a long-time Linux user can say with a straight face. Unless you are talking about money, and then, well... yeah.
What if you don't have aptitude (hint: apt-get won't work)? What if I don't want a command-line interface? What if I want to actually debug a large C/C++ codebase?
Python/Ruby/etc. are also available on Windows, usually with friendly installers.
Look, I'm all for Linux/POSIX from an operations standpoint, but the programming story is merely different, and to pretend otherwise makes one look foolish.
EDIT:
Also, as cobrausn pointed out, what about when the official sources for the package are hella out of date? Not so friendly then, eh?
But what exactly can they do on Windows that they couldn't figure out in something like ElementaryOS? Get infected with malware? I think most people are actually pretty clueless about how to use Windows effectively, especially now that we are deep into the Windows 8 world.
MS Office is a big one, Excel is pretty much un-rivalved when it comes to the spreadsheet game. Open/Libre Office are nice but not as good as MS Office, plus everyone already knows how to use it so businesses don't have to spend money retraining them on it.
Don't get me wrong I use OS X/Ubuntu daily and die when I have to use Windows with it's lack of POSIX compliance and abomination of a shell but that doesn't mean it's the right choice for the masses.
Okay, but Office is not Windows. It runs on Macs, and there are plenty of virtualization options for businesses to run Office for people without a Windows desktop. RHEL 7 in particular is built for it. And Microsoft's web apps are getting better all the time. I wouldn't he surprised if the web app catches up to the desktop app in the near future. And everyone's grandma does not know how to use Excel.
