Where is the corporate value for companies when using something that is free?

Many developers expect every tool or piece of software to be free on the web now. I kind of do. With open source software we can accomplish just about anything we need to. Why is it that bigger companies shy away from open source software? I have heard this is because open source is perceived as weak when compared to Microsoft’s suite of products. Why doesn’t it come into the equation that the open source choice is often the more stable and secure. Hackers spend more of their time attacking M$ than they do the anything else.

I see the value in free things for my business. I also see the value in good service. Service is most likely the area which open source is lacking, but expertise can always be found. If you use open source software that is popular and rated well then you can always find an answer to a problem.