It's better on a phone cause someone already configured it and further changes to the config go through their tightly controlled apps. Functionality is limited

It's better on a phone cause someone already configured it and further changes to the config go through their tightly controlled apps. Functionality is limited to what they expose. In 2015 Linux desktop (i.e. Ubuntu) is better than it used to be (and it used to be as much fun as jumping into a vat of acid whilst stabbing yourself with a blunt fork) whilst you are using a standard configuration but the pain lies not far under the surface if you try to do anything remotely non standard.