Really the OS is just the platform to launch your applications from. DOS being the best example of this. Now with demand people wanted more from there OS, so stuff was added, then the internet went public and people wanted more so it was added. Since then the competition opens up and more stuff is added to your OS.

What I would really like is a Linux/Unix Backend and running a Windows based OS (god that soundslike a mac), but I can use my old software on it and it has not grabbed all my hard earned resources to run itself. So Vista is outta the window for me, I would never use it, having played with the Beta 1 and 2. In all honesty, I have been thinking about dropping back to 2000 Pro again.