So, having such knowledgeable admins that can maintain a Windows user base in such an advanced way should not be included in the TCO for Windows??! What is your definition of TCO then? Just buying the thing off the shelf?! And what happens when you include the users' frustration of having to use such a bogged-down machine (where for example you would have trouble listening to your music, using your favorite text editor or web browser) in the calculation of the TCO? I bet that even if Linux had to be paid for, it would still have a lower TCO!!

Not in my case! My HP Pavilion came filled-up with all sorts of crapware from every possible vendor! The obvious choice of reinstalling the OS just reinstalled the crap too! I found the pain to uninstall the crap was greater than to install XP!!