An interesting discussion, but I can find articles, equally valid,
explaining why microsoft windows is not ready for prime time. It's all a
matter of perspective.

Regarding your issues with being unable to play multimedia files, that
doesn't indicate to me that linux isn't ready for prime time, but that
you didn't properly finish setting up your ubuntu system. If you haven't
installed the ubuntu restricted extras package, for instance, that would
give the odd symptoms you describe.

I've not seen any multimedia file that my ubuntu systems can't play -
and in fact my windows-using friends are often telling me that they
can't play some file or other, and only after I advise them to install
the open source VLC player can they access the same multimedia content
on windows that I can on linux.