Companies Group Together To Push Macs To Enterprises

[Guest]

Chicago (IL) - Mac's growing market share apparently is causing IT professionals pause to reconsider Macs as a business tool, helped by the so-called enterprise consumerization trend.

Companies Group Together To Push Macs To Enterprises : Read more

 

[Guest]

Oh sheesh, another mac story. Apple this, apple that, apple's soo great eh?

The only reason there are macs in "enterprize" in the first place because Apple find's people that are hotshots in some company, and give them the macs. I would know, my best friends Dad is a big manager at sun and that's what they did to him.

 

[kman7607]

[citation][nom]vvtopkar[/nom]Oh sheesh, another mac story. Apple this, apple that, apple's soo great eh?The only reason there are macs in "enterprize" in the first place because Apple find's people that are hotshots in some company, and give them the macs. I would know, my best friends Dad is a big manager at sun and that's what they did to him.[/citation]

Exactly, then the computers sell themselves. The execs realize how great a mac can be for their business and then they purchase more for the rest of their business. What is so wrong with that?

 

[seboj]

All I can say is "rofflecopter at those statistics".

 

[klarkmdb]

it's just a matter of preferences, i think.

 

[theguardianlegend]

Its interesting that part of the selling point for the mac enterprise is that solutions are already available for "integration into the windows-dominated" enterprise. Macs have always been touted for their streamlined and consumer friendly styles, and consumerization has always seemed a big part of Apple's game plan. So i guess the question is, aside from the integration aspects, can these macs get the job done more efficiently in the business world? I mean-- sure they can integrate with the windows environment well now, but once they're integrated, do they make life easier? I've heard a lot about the "reliability" factor over the last decade or so, but it'll be interesting to see if this holds up in the business world; particularly in the corporate world.

If ever there was a time for Apple to strike, now would be the time-- what with Mr. Gates resigning and all. I'll bet the current stock market reflects this as well Interesting stuff.

 

[theguardianlegend]

Its interesting that part of the selling point for the mac enterprise is that solutions are already available for "integration into the windows-dominated" enterprise. Macs have always been touted for their streamlined and consumer friendly styles, and consumerization has always seemed a big part of Apple's game plan. So i guess the question is, aside from the integration aspects, can these macs get the job done more efficiently in the business world? I mean-- sure they can integrate with the windows environment well now, but once they're integrated, do they make life easier? I've heard a lot about the "reliability" factor over the last decade or so, but it'll be interesting to see if this holds up in the business world; particularly in the corporate world.

If ever there was a time for Apple to strike, now would be the time-- what with Mr. Gates resigning and all. I'll bet the current stock market reflects this as well Interesting stuff.

 

[ahmshaegar]

vvtopkar: Why so negative? Whether or not someone uses (a Mac/Windows/Linux/BSD/an abacus) has little to do with you or me, so there's no need to take pride or be offended by their decision. Now, if there's foul play involved, then it's against all our interests...

theguardianlegend: Yeah, it will be very interesting to see how Apple does. Their products and their marketing have so far targeted the consumer market. Most businesses probably don't care so much how their computers look, and that is one selling point that Apple uses. Just like how most employees work in cubicles and use copy machines, cheap ball-point pens, etc... Because having an artsy pen doesn't do the company any good.

Bottom line is whether or not companies will buy the argument Apple's making that Macs are cheaper and more reliable (TCO blah blah.) I'm not sure if Apple will benefit from Bill Gates leaving, though. I think they'd benefit more from Windows Vista's perceived deficiencies, whether true or not.

 

[nekatreven]

@ahmshaegar: one way or another, show some pride! No, I'm joking...but more than half of the people here obviously feel strongly in one direction or another. It just happens.

I won't spend much effort on this timeless and futile debate, because in the end the apple type users need their computers, and the windows types need theirs.

I'm running Vista with no issues and I was happy to have to manually tweak the tcp settings of a brand new OS, turn off the user account control since I know what I'm doing, install my anti-virus and spyware software, turn off some of the more useless new services (readyboost w/ tons of ram? ...no, etc.), and a fix/tweak/patch a number of other things.

It hasn't crashed once and the list of software titles for windows is second to none; and I can upgrade any part I want. I can't imagine using a system with less control.

Then again I also can't imagine letting my grandmother get rid of her mac...she'd call me for help too much.

 

[Cuddles]

XP and Vista both run fine. Alot of the bigger Corporations are still running DOS and quite a few still run Unix Mainframes with terminals. Just like Microsoft is trying to convince Corporations to move towards Vista, Apple must do the same, and each has to explain the costs that justify the means.
Windows has been around for a long time and alot of the IT guys know how to work with it. Now your trying to ask those guys who run your network to just throw that knowledge out the window.
CEO: "I want Mac's on everything." Spreads hands out across the office space.
IT Guy: "Sure thing Boss. Here is the Budget to do so." Hands him a list.
CEO: "OMG!" Grows incrediably red in the face and grabs his chest.
IT Guy: "Calm down Boss. We haven't done anything yet."
CEO: "Thank God almighty! We still have Computers running DOS? What the hell is DOS anyways?"
IT Guy: "Sigh... That list doesn't include all the applications we would have to rebuy either. Just add a couple more zero's to the end." Points to the bottom of the list.
CEO: "No more... No more... Jesus boy you trying to kill me. Let me show you my new Mac Air I got in the mail. Really neat. I can watch all my home movies on it."
IT Guy: "Sure thing, Boss."

 

[Cuddles]

XP and Vista both run fine. Alot of the bigger Corporations are still running DOS and quite a few still run Unix Mainframes with terminals. Just like Microsoft is trying to convince Corporations to move towards Vista, Apple must do the same, and each has to explain the costs that justify the means.
Windows has been around for a long time and alot of the IT guys know how to work with it. Now your trying to ask those guys who run your network to just throw that knowledge out the window.
CEO: "I want Mac's on everything." Spreads hands out across the office space.
IT Guy: "Sure thing Boss. Here is the Budget to do so." Hands him a list.
CEO: "OMG!" Grows incrediably red in the face and grabs his chest.
IT Guy: "Calm down Boss. We haven't done anything yet."
CEO: "Thank God almighty! We still have Computers running DOS? What the hell is DOS anyways?"
IT Guy: "Sigh... That list doesn't include all the applications we would have to rebuy either. Just add a couple more zero's to the end." Points to the bottom of the list.
CEO: "No more... No more... Jesus boy you trying to kill me. Let me show you my new Mac Air I got in the mail. Really neat. I can watch all my home movies on it."
IT Guy: "Sure thing, Boss."

 

[njalterio]

I really can't see Macs in a large scale business environment.

They are just so expensive. Also, there is so much business software out there that I don't even think exists for Macs. Is there a Microsoft Dynamics for Macs? and what about all the different types of proprietary hardware that many companies use....is that supported on a Mac?

Macs have their place for non-technical users that appreciate aesthetics and looks more than functionality.

Also, Apple should watch it's step. Once Leopard loses it's obscurity and becomes more mainstream it will be much more prone to viruses.

 

[kal326]

Macs have there place in a business, mostly in the graphics and market departments. Macs are too expensive to be pushed through the corporate world to ever desk. Even a Mac mini starts at 599.99 and that is just the machine, no monitor. You can get a perfectly fine complete windows PC for the same price or less. The TCO of a Mac does not justify there use in almost any business department. You ever try to get a Mac fixed after its out of Apple Care coverage? Your better off just replacing the machine.

Apple is going to have to drop the stylish elitist front if they ever have a prayer of making a dent in the enterprise market. Nice and shiny make work to win over the execs, but when it comes down to the numbers it just doesn't add up.

 

[kal326]

Macs have there place in a business, mostly in the graphics and market departments. Macs are too expensive to be pushed through the corporate world to ever desk. Even a Mac mini starts at 599.99 and that is just the machine, no monitor. You can get a perfectly fine complete windows PC for the same price or less. The TCO of a Mac does not justify there use in almost any business department. You ever try to get a Mac fixed after its out of Apple Care coverage? Your better off just replacing the machine.

Apple is going to have to drop the stylish elitist front if they ever have a prayer of making a dent in the enterprise market. Nice and shiny make work to win over the execs, but when it comes down to the numbers it just doesn't add up.

 

[nekatreven]

@Cuddles: LOL! ....and sad but true. I've seen that old corporate stuff first hand. Most folks would cringe at the amount of DOS and AS400 type environments left in the world.

When you can't even go from version 4 to version 5 of your crappy little emulated AS400 software without apocalyptic doom ensuing...good luck getting a pure windows environment; much less bother with macs.