Re: A MILLION different Linuxes,...
If you're happy using Windows keep using it, the beauty of FOSS is that is and will be there when and if you need it.
There are not that many Linuxes, it is the same OS underneath, I like to compare it to beer and crisps, there are hundreds of brands, they all pour in a cup, come in bags, you drink them beers and chew them crisps all the same way. One likes some more than others and stick to one or two brands, every now and then you find a new brand that has some extra twist, but you mostly stick to the brand you like.
In my case I made the jump 12 years ago and I find myself in the opposite situation, I can't think on any reason to run Windows but I can think many not to.
I will tell you something though, a VM doesn't make modern Linux justice, bare metal is bare metal. Linux running on (supported) modern bare metal is great.