“Uncle Sam’s coffers, which have long remained elusive for Apple, are finally opening up… A year ago, Apple’s Mac OS X operating system was added to the government’s approved-purchases list, which previously included Windows and Java,’ Olga Kharif reports for BusinessWeek. “While Jobs & Co.’s government business is still miniscule — just over $200 million of its $6.2 billion in yearly sales — it’s ‘going to develop into a meaningful business for Apple,’ says analyst Charles Wolf of Needham & Co., who owns Apple shares. The outfit’s PC sales to public agencies could grow by 50% in the next few years, he figures.”
“One reason for Apple’s better traction is the success of its Xserve servers and storage products, first introduced in 2002. They’re priced on par or below rivals’ equipment and are easy and quick to set up,” Kharif reports. “Apple equipment’s underlying software also appeals to many government tech managers looking for alternatives to Windows. Based on open-source Unix code, Mac OS is easier to use than Linux. It also comes with more than 10,000 applications, which is a lot more than what Linux can offer… Apple’s comparative immunity to viruses wins lots of fans, too… rivals Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM would be wise to watch out: Apple has long been known as an innovator and a design pioneer.”
Full article here.