Stick with XP, loudly proclaim that you do so, and gather a bunch of other companies that have also decided to do so.
Have everyone loudly proclaim that XP is here to stay and MS should not terminate it before giving us a proper OS.
Repeat proclamations until MS recants. If enough companies do so, it will happen.

Linux actually supports nearly any configuration these days. They even have a built in bluetooth stack and everything; Also you wouldn't have to run VMWARe you could still dual boot with your XP licenses for Using Office if open office isn't your cup o tea.

alot of companies are actually looking at thin clients now. The latest ones draw jsut over 4 watts each. Couple this with phenom so that you can throttle individual cores on your main server and you save a massive wedge on power, and hardware in the medium term.

Add to that, many people only use 1 or two apps, and you literally jsut grant them access to those apps, again, not serving apps they don't need.

session cards meaning all those cramped offices can now have door access, and application sessions managed on the same card.

Microsoft are literally driving a revolution through pushing out xp.

In till Linux gets to the point that the op system will use the hardware on most of the computers that are out, it will not be any better than what is being used now. I have used Linux for years now and I do like it. But it is not ready for the masses yet. 
Wait till they try to get sound and other drivers running on there machines. And to get all done. 
If the Linux makers can get the drivers for the products that are out, then I think Linux would take over a very large part of the op system market.But lest that happen Linux will not be any better than what we have now.

Cheaper....yes.

But lets never mind the fact that most administrators within a company no nothing about running Linux in a desktop environment. So, big mistake on deploying an OS that support is not going to know anything about.

Lets also forget the fact that people are still complete dumbasses when it comes to Windows, and we've been using it for YEARS. "Click on the what..a cog? WTF is a cog?"

So...Extra hours spent having to train end users on their days off...disgruntled employess pissed off about coming in to use some computer software thats supposed to be cheaper, on their days off...A headache like none other from the support staff because most of them arent going to know about Linux.


I dunno man... I think someone got fucked in the ass by Tux, but enjoyed the reach around.

How many business users do you know who are going to be enthused about having to boot XP on VMware just to use Microsoft Office? Open Office is slow, buggy, and has a pathetic feature set. 

Anyway, what are you doing arguing that 512MB of RAM is enough, while at the same time advocating 64-bit computing? Stupid.

The machine I use all the time is a Pentium III laptop with 512 MB RAM running Windows 2000 that I bought in 2001. Way back then it did everything I needed it to do. Surprise, surprise, it still does.

I have replaced hard drives a couple of times and I replaced the battery two years ago. Everything else works well.

I download new software on a regular basis (almost all open source).

Why do people keep playing the disposable computer game?

Thats total BS.
As a company, try calling the MS tech support because your application doesnt run properly on VMWare and see if they support you! 
Then you will have to add the cost of a VMWare consultant.
Also, the strain that supporting linux requires from a tech support dept. (financially mostly, as in wages) means the total cost of ownership of your machines will go thru the roof.
Lets be honest here.. the world + dog knows his way on a Windows pc these days.. cant say the same thing for linux.
Biased article and very superficial..