How was using Linux in late 90s / early 2000's?

The linux community back then was much smaller and there were much less coders to contribute not to mention not many cared about the idea of FOSS. In addition internet speed was slow so downloading software, and uploading source code and contributing must have been a lot more difficult than now days. I clearly remember testing it out that printers and WIFI was a major issue and many things were missing drivers.

To the hardcore ones, do you think linux back then was as viable replacement for Windows/Mac as is today or things have advanced so much to the better now?

Thanks for holding ground for the rest of us who went Windows/Mac.