Rolling release isn't quite the same, because you still get frequent updates to "core" software. For example I hear from many Arch users that it's great, but it breaks even more frequently than Ubuntu. (Though I've never personally used Arch.) It seems that Linux today is either ancient, stable, and frozen in a bygone era like Debian Stable, or fresh but frequently broken, like Debian Sid (or Arch). There's no inbetween.
And saying "my system works flawlessly, except that time when I had to Google how to modprobe my temporarily broken wifi, or when I had to boot into rescue mode to edit GRUB" doesn't count. You can't have a flawless system with "except".
I'm suggesting that Linux needs something inbetween rolling release and milestone release. Something that keeps invisible core software essential to basic system functionality like wifi and video on stable milestones, but has smaller user-facing software always up-to-date. I don't know if something like that is possible given the current state of Linux package management. But it's clear to me that both rolling and milestone based distros either 1) break too frequently for mere mortals, or 2) cram unwanted changes down my throat for the sake of just one or two new packages I want, or 3) have user-facing software older than my grandma.
Windows has managed to do it. You can still run Firefox 7 on Windows XP, and I can guarantee that upgrading to FF7 on XP won't suddenly change your desktop to a shoddy OSX clone behind your back or break your wifi.
