Part of the attraction of Ubuntu and other Linux based Operating systems (besides legitimately free) is that set up right, and Ubuntu is right out of the box, it's more secure than Windows. For years, people have complained about how easy it is to be infected with "junk" on a Windows PC, whether malware, viruses or whatever. The reason this happens is that when you're browsing the web, checking email, etc, you're doing it as an administrator of the machine. You, or anything you give permission to, can install anything. When you click on a "bad" link, you've given that site permission to install things for you.
This is how the User Access Control came about. But it's annoying, right? 95% of people either turn it off or just blindly hit "Allow" whenever it comes up.
With a Linux based operating system, by default you run as an unprivileged user, and have to "elevate" your privileges to install things. It sounds like a pain, but really, how often do you install stuff? Besides, it takes about 2 seconds to elevate yourself. You just have to supply a password.
As far as ease of use, Ubuntu is possibly the easiest Linux to transition to from Windows. It has the best support community (mainly via forums like the QB), and it looks and acts similarly to Windows.
The biggest stumbling block for most people is that you "can't" run Windows software. (Not as simply as on a Windows machine) You wouldn't be using Live Mail, or Outlook, you'd use Thunderbird or another mail client. You wouldn't use MS Office, you'd use OpenOffice or something similar, etc. Instead of photoshop, you'd use the G.I.M.P.
(All of these programs are available for windows as well, so you may be familiar with them, or even like to try them out)
There are software equivalents for Linux that will replace
most of your software you're used to using on Windows (so far, I don't think there's a replacement for EQ), most are free, and most will operate 95% the same as the Microsoft / Windows equivalents.
Yes, I use Ubuntu.
I actually use is mainly as a "Server" to host websites and email, but I have used it on laptops and desktops as well.