Honestly, since the introduction of 'tables', pivot tables, Power Pivot and Power Query, Excel is way more viable to be used as a database. Tables in particular mean that formulas fill down and the range automically resizes when records are added.

Speaking for myself, but I suspect this applies to a lot of people, the factors that are enabling me to run Linux as my personal computer are:

1. The browser experience is now on par with other operating systems. For many people, almost everything they do on their computer is through the browser so this is important.
2. Games now work. Every game I've wanted to play has worked on Linux.
3. If I want to do word processing or spreadsheeting and I absolutely need the formatting to be correct or want to use the more advanced aspects of Excel, I now have a work device to do those things. This wasn't the case a few years ago, when most people worked on a company desktop machine at work.

Putting that together and subtracting all the annoyances of Windows - nagging notifications, updates that take forever, Windows trying to make my default browser Edge, the greater threat of viruses - why wouldn't I be on Linux? Why wouldn't a lot of people be on Linux?

If I've learnt anything from numerous askreddit posts on the question 'what is the best feeling ever?', it's that the human condition is rather tragic. The best pleasure is basically the relief of discomfort or pain - like taking your bra off at the end of the day or like this one walking into an air conditioned room.

People underestimate how important being able to google answers on the internet has been for the take-up of linux and many other things. Most of us would be lost without Google.