As a scientist, shouldn't he be all about trying to understand things as opposed to dismissing them outright?

He gave them a go of one week, which is more, then most would.

Even if his experiment was flawed from the beginning, which let's me question his scientificity.

Martin Crane: "I wouldn't like it."

Frasier Crane: "Oh Dad, how do you know if you don't try it?"

Martin Crane: "Well I didn't have to get shot in the hip with a .38 to know I wouldn't like that."

It's a usability mindset thing. Apple's software is great if you can live within their vision. Microsoft aims at everyone from newbie to an elite power user. Linux, well, you can do anything you want but it's on your head if you screw it up (or it screws itself up).

To view it from a political perspective, it's a scale from authoritarian (Apple) to libertarian (Linux). Those who are used to surviving on their own probably don't appreciate the rules (like putting up with superfluous visual effects).