Call me a cynic

I read with interest that Google are trying to ditch Microsoft Windows operating systems on the basis of security. Instead they are going with either Linux or Mac OS. Call me a cynic but I can't but get the feeling that this is more of a marketing ploy than actual security issues.

Yes they had an issue with security in China involving Windows but I just wonder how many other security issues they have also encountered with Mac and Linux? Probably a few but not so willing to shout about them because neither is running a rival search engine. Hence my cynicism!

I think Microsoft gets a bad press here. Lets look at the stats. Being generous to Mac and Linux lets say Microsoft is installed on 80% of all desktops. The other 20% being spread amongst the rest. Now let's flip this to a similar scenario. Lets say there is a bank out there. It has 80% of all branches out there and there are several smaller banks making up the rest. Out of all the banks which one do you think would suffer from the most robberies? The one with the most branches obviously.

Now flip back to computers. Why are Microsoft computers attacked the most? Because they have the largest footprint to target and it causes the most impact and generates the most press, not because it is the least secure but because it is the most popular.

So is this a genuine security concern or just a marketing ploy, my mind says the latter.