Xp is not powerful at all, "power" cannot descibe an OS, Windows has alot to offer to a new user, BUt Unix is a tested world class platform,it has been aound for i think 20 pluss years, it has received millions of Updated and correction, its a well designed layed out platform. while XP is all over the place!! XP has been hyped up becasue of advertisements. UNIX platforms like MAC OS X Panther and Tiger are alot easier to use. it's GUI's that User like, and no one beats apple at GUI (who actually developed the idea of GUI). we are now seeing multiple Unix and linux platforms coming together and one-such example is the X11 platform.
to lay it all out i Have a Mac Running OS X panther. i have been using this software for about 6 months before that i had a Jaguar runnig, and i have only had to reset ie turnoff my Desktop only once in the past year (to install Panther). UNIX hardly ever crashes. the file searches are alot better. and i can trust my desktop to keep my documents safe in it.