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I have a multi-seat linux setup, so driving 6 screens from a board is an excellent alternative to this (not how all the expansion slots are filled with nothing but graphics cards).

Or, instead of using 6 30" screens, it would be great to have a single screen "merely" 40 inches across with higher resolution. LCDs have been growing nicely, but not in the pixels-per-inch department.

If there is such a great demand for multimouse, it should not be too hard to have this for Linux with things we have now. This should be pretty easy to do, compared with all the trouble Microsoft is talking about.
What do we already have under Linux.
Multi user login. Check. It is already possible to connect several people on the same machine with each their own monitor, mouse AND keyboard. http://www.linuxtoys.org/multiseat/multiseat.html and many other sites.
It is already possible to have multiple workplaces.
So all we need to do are two things.
1) Let each workspace be its own X session
2) Show all workspaces on one workspace

Even though I am unable to do this, I can see that this should be possible without too much trouble. For somebody with the apropriate skills, this sounds like a nice project for the weekend as Linux already has the building stones, or am I thinking too simple?

Perfect

Microsoft is just grabbing at anything because they know windows is currently incapable (in a technical/architectural sense) of competing with this.

X Terminals, either diskless or just enough to load X and then everything else comes from one Big Box.

Or something like:

http://www.linuxtoys.org/multiseat/multiseat.html

6 monitors, keyboards, mice, one tower.

Check this out: http://www.linuxtoys.org/multiseat/multiseat.html

I have been told that there are certain softmodems -- ones that use a particular Intel chipset -- that you can find for under $10 that will work under Asterix in place of the proprietary cards. I think it's the Intel 537 series chipsets that are the key. Since all they do is bridge the phone line to the computer, they can be used for voice or data given appropriate software. Given how few modems I've seen in stores lately, eBay may be your friend.

Might want to see this article:
A $10 Linux Answering Machine

Now that would mean basically one line, either to the telco PSTN system or to an extension, per PCI slot, which unless you had some abnormally large mobo is probably not too great. However, you could load up the PCI slots with them, use them all for the outgoing lines (to the telco) and then do your internal extensions over VOIP. That would also have the advantage of not having to run analog phone lines throughout the office; everything is just on your data network provided it can handle the load. Might be a bit of cash though, if you don't have VoIP phones already.

Also, there is hardware besides Digium's which is compatible with Asterisk, see this list for an overview of vendors.