Linux throwing backwards compatibility and stability out the window is one of the biggest reasons it doesn't appeal to the common user. Note that Android provides this (granted less than Windows does), and we see common people use Android.
And before you mention it: Yes, I know Linus Torvalds is (sort of) adamant about backwards compatibility; the problem is the rest of Linux does not and will not care.
It's still not as bad as desktop Linux (e.g. some Loki games cannot even be loaded due to breaking changes in _glibc_ out of all libraries), but it is still bad enough to qualify as abysmal.
The Linux kernel itself is in fact very, VERY extensively backwards-compatible, which is why I find it particularly unfair (on top of being wrong) to use the label Dalewyn did. It's the installed userspace libraries that aren't - at least not in all cases, but the situation sure has improved a lot over the last decade or so.
Did I ever dispute that?