My own experience with Linux is that it breaks from the most mundane of things, such that I wouldn't even dare suggest Linux to the average person because the tech support baggage that will ensue would be far more expensive to me than if they just used Windows.
Have to say that Ubuntu LTS with the Firefox web browser drastically reduced the number of support calls I'd get from my parents, who used Windows 7 before. Of course, as soon as you start messing with packages or doing more advanced things, then more can go wrong. But it's really good for the web.
I have this same experience. I put ubuntu LTS on a family member's computer back in 2011, made sure the browser icons were big and front/center, and the support nags stopped. They said they loved whatever I did. I think there is some security-by-obscurity in there too, where all the insane spam/fraud/virus stuff couldn't even work on ubuntu if she ended up clicking on one. Nowadays I take it with a grain of salt: The support nags might have also stopped because other family got scared I would wipe their computer and put this new thing on there they were scared of having to learn.
