The problem isn't the platform, it is manufacturer execution. I tend to gravitate toward Samsung hardware because it is very durable. I left this phone on top of my car and took off (no case...) and it slid off @ 45 MPH and landed screen down on the pavement with only a couple minor scratches on the edges of the case. A friend of mine dropped his HTC Evo in a restaraunt and it spiderwebbed the screen. Their software tends to be their downfall. My first Samsung touch screen was not android based, and was just terrible. I believe it was the Flight. The software was unresponsive, sluggish, and dated. With the android platform, I am really impressed overall, but the devil is in the details.
As far as being compared to Windows, I disagree. It isn't Android's fault that phone manufacturers employ crappy programmers to implement the product where as Windows is born with it's flaws. Of course, they are both better than Apple's OSs in my opinion. Apple products are built and marketed for the technologically un-savvy.
I have replaced the factory app with Handcent, but I just don't like having extra crap on my phone. I would like to fix the native app, or at least remove it.