Yes, I don't disagree that you have to be somewhat tech savvy to take advantage of alternative operating systems like Linux.
On the other hand, a lot of distros (versions) have gone a long way to make things super easy for average users. Here's a simple formula, and it's one that I use so I can vouch for its relative reliability:
1. Get an old Intel PC. I am using a Pentium 4 with a little over 1 Ghz. Nothing special. In fact, you might even be able to get one for free via freecycle.org.
2. Install a nVidia graphics card. Again, nothing fancy. I'm running on a 6000 series card, which I bought at TigerDirect for $30, but I'll bet you can find an even cheaper or even free one now. In fact, if it's already got one that's supported by Linux, then you can skip this part entirely.
3. Burn or buy an Ubuntu CD. If you take the freebie route, you'll have to burn your own CD. But once that's done, popping in the CD alone will make Linux run.
4. Once Ubuntu is running and it looks fine, you simply click the icon on the desktop to install it into the hard drive.
And... that's it! Enjoy your new Linux box! Even with hardware this old, it runs buttery smooth. Of course, it's not good for anything heavy like gaming or running molecular simulations, but it's awesome with basic stuff like email, web, documents, and so forth.
It'll may also require a bit more know-how to do minor tinkerings to get certain things to work, such as wireless networking for example. But I also remind myself of the price I am paying for a decent PC box, which is not a whole lot at all.
If all that is still a bit too much, but if you're willing to pony up more money, you can buy a
pre-built Linux box for as low as $200!