Google is phasing out Windows in favor of MacOSX

The reason given is security. Apparently, after the Chinese Hack, the company is looking for any operating system with a better security record than Windows. Then again, maybe it is simply an attempt to make nice with Steve Jobs, after the anti-iPhone screeds at Google I/O. (Linux is also an approved alternative to Windows at Google.)

New hires are now given the option of using Apple’s Mac computers or PCs running the Linux operating system. “Linux is open source and we feel good about it,” said one employee. “Microsoft we don’t feel so good about.”

In early January, some new hires were still being allowed to install Windows on their laptops, but it was not an option for their desktop computers. Google would not comment on its current policy.

Windows is known for being more vulnerable to attacks by hackers and more susceptible to computer viruses than other operating systems. The greater number of attacks on Windows has much to do with its prevalence, which has made it a bigger target for attackers.

You can expect an exasperated quote from Steve Balmer shortly.