What Will Be The Linux Distro Of The Future?

I just replied to a topic regarding why Linux mint is steadily increasing in popularity over Ubuntu. It is unanimously agreed that Ubuntu is a great OS for beginner users of Linux. But of late it has been getting more confusing for new users, which is why they are beginning to look for alternatives llike Mint.My question is not regarding Mint or Ubuntu.It is about the future of the Linux Vs Windows battle. It seems that after a few years, the Linux contender keeps changing, while Microsoft still keeps fighting with Windows, although upgraded. So can't we hope for a stable Linux distro that can keep the majority of its users happy for a long time? Ubuntu is still popular; there is no doubt about that. But the recent changes have severely dentend its popularity and now Mint is threatening to take over and become the new face of Linux. What do you people think would be the future of Linux then? I haven't even started talking about other distros like Fedora or Mandriva or any other one for that matter. Will either of these come up with a new surprise for everyone or is it going to be a battle between Linux MInt and Ubuntu?

Why should the battle be between Mint and Ubuntu?I guess that RedHat is the only stable professional version on the market.And you can see a lot of topics around this forum expressing opinions concerning the free Linux versions. My favorite one remains Mandriva, and I see no reason to switch to Mint or to Ubuntu.The real question is, will the future be a free version or a commercial software? Today when you buy a computer for home usage it will probably have Microsoft Windows already installed; and at work, the computer in your office probably also has Microsoft windows. So, probably, the next question will be : besides Microsoft, what will be the future?And, by the way, what do you name "the future" ? Next year? Next century?I don't know if people will keep using computers as the one we know today, with a keyboard and a mouse. Maybe tablets will rule the world. Then, will a free Linux be available?Moreover, the world we know today strongly needs computer. But, imagine what will happen if the financial crisis makes that no more personal computers are manufactured, what will be your life?