A democracy is often considered chaotic, inefficient and complicated. There are different pressure groups that lobby for influence and the government that is formed is a mixture of all possible parties interested in the process of governance. The one size fits all approach of a dictatorship seems more efficient and sensible but will, sooner or later, create more complications and problems than a democracy. The same is the case with Linux as well.
The fact that there are numerous versions and variations of Linux, called distributions, is often cited as a disadvantage. There is no doubt that an average individual who knows virtually next to nothing about a computer programming will find it very confusing to assess different distributions. For such a person, a single product that is compatible with bulk of the hardware and software applications in the market is good enough.
Well, Linux distributions can be marketed and pitched to even such average users who are not interested in technicalities. However, the one size fits all approach means that developers and other persons with computer and programming knowledge often end up being unsatisfied.
All it takes is a quick search on the internet to understand that Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions around. It is a perfect replacement for an average user of a Windows operating system computer. For those who want specific modifications, there are numerous variations of Ubuntu combined with other distributions like Red Hat and Fedora.
The overall result may often seem chaotic and unwieldy. There are many distributions that deserve a lot more attention but do not enjoy the same simply because there is no advertisement around. On the other hand, many other distributions get publicity even if they are not very useful to the masses. Well, the process of balancing different requirements will take time. In case of Windows, the system stagnates and creates more complications for users in the long run.