With Windows 7, there should be no more (or less) downtime than any other operating system.
"anti-malware packages and so on?"
Anti-virus for a large enterprise can be as cheap as $1/desktop/year.
Automated enterprise patch management is expensive, but when added to MS licensing, you still should be under $100/person/year.
Keep in mind that if you put an OS X or Linux desktop on my enterprise network, I will make you install some form of enterprise grade automated patch management on your desktop. I.E - not only do I need you to have automated patch management, I need to know that you are patched, when you last patched, what you patched, etc; which implies an enterprise class solution.
"in order to Sharepoint be as cost-effective"
I'm curious, do you have any reasonably objective data to back up that statement?
I ran enterprise class document management and collaboration with FOSS tools. At $10/person/year, SharePoint is a steal.
With Windows 7, there should be no more (or less) downtime than any other operating system.
"anti-malware packages and so on?"
Anti-virus for a large enterprise can be as cheap as $1/desktop/year.
Automated enterprise patch management is expensive, but when added to MS licensing, you still should be under $100/person/year.
Keep in mind that if you put an OS X or Linux desktop on my enterprise network, I will make you install some form of enterprise grade automated patch management on your desktop. I.E - not only do I need you to have automated patch management, I need to know that you are patched, when you last patched, what you patched, etc; which implies an enterprise class solution.
"in order to Sharepoint be as cost-effective"
I'm curious, do you have any reasonably objective data to back up that statement?
I ran enterprise class document management and collaboration with FOSS tools. At $10/person/year, SharePoint is a steal.