Here is an example of what Linux is capable of doing:
http://www.theregus.com/content/4/26741.html
This is for Xandru Linux; use to be Corel. They claim some of these Linux Distros are very Windows friendly. At the rate they are developing them, they could become easier to run than windows, and more dependable. Linux can be fun to experiment with. The configuration is a little different and the operating system is a lot more complex and supports user rights similar to a network operating system like Novel Netware.
One option you could also do is to become a Network Installer for people that want Cable modems and routers and want to network their computers. Networking can be fun.