Having worked in both Linux and Windows shops, yes, there are people that would readily use Windows on a π, because that's what they know best. Could they use Linux? Yeah, probably, they're smart people. However, that's a bunch of extra steps when you really just want to get things working and hack around on some code.
At some point they might get curious and try Linux on it as well, but I'm all for whatever makes it easier for someone to get into trying something new without a lot of burden. For some people that means using Windows so they can use the platform and tooling they're most familiar with (Visual Studio and .net).
Yes, there's mono and such, but even that still brings its own complexity when you actually consider what else it takes to get set up and going for someone that's never used Linux before (or outside of some courses in college).
It's like wanting to build furniture, but then told you should plant a tree, wait for that tree to grow, chop it down, cut it up for wood, then you can start building some furniture. Most people would give up long before actually making any furniture in that case.
You're correct about Mono being complex. It was easier to install than IoT core though. Including installing the OS first. Having a package manager like apt is a revelation coming from a Windows and Mac world.
I previously tried Mono on the Pi and it had lots of bugs related to the processor architecture. Problems with the hard float support stopped things like Datetime from working properly.
This was a while ago so I imagine it's been fixed in a recent build. It shouldn't be a problem on the newer architecture of the Pi 2 either.
I think it's better to bite the bullet and just learn Linux and Python. You can then add those skills to your CV along with Windows and C#.
I also suspect, without having tried Win10 IoT, that the interface is more polished, and building apps are simpler. You don't have the same freedom, but as long as the developers can do what they like, it's more than enough.
At some point they might get curious and try Linux on it as well, but I'm all for whatever makes it easier for someone to get into trying something new without a lot of burden. For some people that means using Windows so they can use the platform and tooling they're most familiar with (Visual Studio and .net).
Yes, there's mono and such, but even that still brings its own complexity when you actually consider what else it takes to get set up and going for someone that's never used Linux before (or outside of some courses in college).
It's like wanting to build furniture, but then told you should plant a tree, wait for that tree to grow, chop it down, cut it up for wood, then you can start building some furniture. Most people would give up long before actually making any furniture in that case.