Linux has definitely gotten very close to general-purpose RTM.
I find one of the biggest helps is the greatly improved GUIs. I know that linux purists see GUIs as crutches, but I can tell you that, as a lifelong Windows user, that crutch can be vital to easing your way into linux. It's a lot harder to visualize the file directory structure, for example, without being able to take a peek every so often at the GUI to confirm that you are where you think you are.
Linux is definitely something that I would love to see, for example, start becoming an option as the pre-installed OS on some computers from the mainline computer stores, online and brick-n-mortar, labelled carefully, of course, so nobody gets their expectations hurt. Having a system come with dual boot out of the box would also be fantastic.