They can’t really do that, mostly because it’s not “just 1 person”.
I said you can, but for companies that really wants to do it, 3 - 4 persons could be better to make sure everything works 7/24. For smaller companies they probably neither have IT, if they have, then they can manage Linux. If they hire people that don’t know how to use Linux, then they are hiring people not prepared to provide to their workers the tools they need, and they will need to “stick with what they know” which is Windows.
There are a lot of costs going into maintaining the os, apps, custom software, and training for the employees.
Yup, right now I am having issues with Mac and Windows, issues like arch dependent tools (M2 is ARM) or Windows that can’t deal with docker properly. All systems have their own costs.
Google is giant, and has a huge amount of money. They can afford to spend the costs of training, modifying software, or developing other software for their needs if it reduces their future costs.
If they had any issues they would undo it and go back with Windows, they didn’t probably because the cost to “into maintaining the OS, apps, custom software, and training for the employees” isn’t that expensive as running all desktops with Windows.
A smaller company don’t have all those funds, they wouldn’t be able to invest as much into switching to Linux and maintaining the custom software or finding new software and training.
The tools exist, they just need to hire people that actually knows how Linux works, still will be cheaper than paying Windows licenses and support stuff.
When people switch to another software, there is also a period of low productivity, when these same people are still discovering the software, and cannot do everything as fast as before. That is also creating additional costs.
Is that an argument for not giving support to Linux users? Every Linux user needs to lean how Windows or Apple works right now, and Windows and Apple is already an option to choice (normally), I don’t know who would request to work with Linux if they don’t know how it works…