Hello - I would like to engage you in a discussion about what is really wrong with the Linux desktop. It really doesn't have much to do with the variety of distros or interfaces. It really comes down to the fact that the developers are not interested in fixing the small holes (like printing and reliable drive mounting) that are required to really have a functioning desktop, plus the fact that support is really terrible (although you could argue it is for the other desktops as well). Interestingly, Linux applications have come a long way and are no longer really a problem. I have been using Linux since it first came out and Unix before that.
Best,
Lorie