Disadvantages of Linux

Many Windows programs will not run in Linux:  iTunes, Microsoft Office, Internet Explorer and many other Windows programs will not run natively in Linux.

There is a smaller selection of peripheral hardware drivers for Linux:  There is a smaller selection of peripheral hardware drivers (for printers, scanners, and other devices) in Linux as compared to Windows, though many new Linux hardware drivers are constantly being added.

There is a learning curve for people who are new to Linux:  Despite this, most Linux distros, especially the major ones, are very intuitive and user-friendly. Also, the desktop environments in Linux are in many ways similar to Windows in their appearance. One thing which should be emphasized is that there is also a learning curve for Windows XP users who switch to Windows 7 or Windows 8.