Retailers get paid by virus scanner trials and trials of office software such as Ability Office to install their crap. Sometimes they pay to install it, sometimes they pay when users get suckered into buying the full version. The virus scanner trial covers the cost of the XP UMPC license and then the other crap is a bonus. Retailers are being paid to install XP. They can install Linux and have a better solution for their customers with no need for virus scanners and a real office suite pre-installed but they don't make money by doing this. Linux isn't defective enough that users think it needs crapware to upgrade it. Virus scanner providers have a vested interest in users remaining on Windows and they will pay the full cost of the Windows license to protect that interest.