“Japan’s Aozora Bank Ltd. is planning to do something once unheard of in the business world: switch nearly all of its 2,300 desktop personal computers to Apple Computer Inc.’s Macintosh computers. Most companies use PCs that run on some version of Microsoft Corp.’s Windows operating system. But in a multi-year effort to replace its outdated mishmash of computers — most running older versions of Windows — Aozora is forsaking the standard PC,” Nick Wingfield reports for The Wall Street Journal. “A third of the company’s computers already are Macs — including sleek iMac computers that combine a screen and hard drive in one unit with a camera perched atop that allows employees to videoconference. Within a few months, Aozora expects about 90% of its machines will be Macs.”
“What brought on the switch? Bill Chute, Aozora’s chief technology officer, says the company decided to go with Macs because of Apple’s latest operating system, Mac OS X, which has made the machines more stable and functional for many business users,” Wingfield reports. “”Already, there are signs Apple is gaining some ground: Some software developers are warming up to using Macs for programming. For years, many software developers sniffed at Macs. About five years ago, though, Apple introduced a sweeping upgrade of Some software developers are warming up to using Macs for programming, derived from Unix, a high-performance, reliable operating system long used in scientific and other demanding computing environments. While most Unix operating systems typically have bland interfaces and require knowledge of arcane commands to operate, Mac OS X preserved the user-friendly graphical environment of its predecessors. Apple has since updated Mac OS X several times with improvements, including the latest version, known as Tiger.”
Wingfield reports. “Byron Sebastian hadn’t used a Mac as his primary PC since the late 1990s, when he switched to Windows. But when Mr. Sebastian co-founded SourceLabs Inc., an open-source startup in Seattle, in late 2004, he decided to outfit the entire company with Macs for a simple reason: ‘All of our developers wanted Macs,’ he says. Mr. Sebastian says the company’s developers favor the Mac because it’s easier for them to do Unix programming. Plus, unlike most Unix systems, Macs run Microsoft’s pervasive suite of email, spreadsheets and other productivity applications. ‘It’s the best of both worlds,’ he says. One irony to the company’s Mac preference: Many of the 20 employees at SourceLabs are former Microsoft employees, including vice president of sales and marketing Cornelius Willis, once a marketing executive for Windows.”
“With all of Apple’s Macs soon using the same chips that power Windows PCs, there could be an intriguing twist to the Intel move. That’s the prospect that business users could more practically run Windows applications on their Macs, including the corporate programs that prevent them from switching off Windows. So users who wanted to run Mac and Windows software could have, say, a dual-boot computer. Such a machine would contain both the Mac and Windows operating systems and users could switch between the two,” Wingfield reports. “An alternative way of getting Windows applications to run on Macs is so-called virtualization programs that use a layer of Mac software to, in effect, trick applications into thinking they’re running on Windows. In the past, the main drawback to virtualization software has been that it’s slow. Some analysts hope that the switch to Intel chips could make such virtualization programs work faster.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Doug V.” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Take: Now Apple just needs to get entrenched IT types into believing that their power and staffing levels won’t be dramatically reduced if they buy Macs instead of Windows boxes. Macs that can also run Windows applications would help in that regard as IT would still be required to support the myriad (and often junky) Windows-only apps running on Macs, but we still think that Apple will have a better chance as old IT people retire and new, more open thinkers infiltrate IT staffs worldwide.
Advertisements:
• Apple’s brand new iPod Hi-Fi speaker system. Home stereo. Reinvented. Available now for $349 with free shipping.
• Apple’s new Mac mini. Intel Core, up to 4 times faster. Starting at just $599. Free shipping.
• MacBook Pro. The first Mac notebook built upon Intel Core Duo with iLife ’06, Front Row and built-in iSight. Starting at $1999. Free shipping.
• iMac. Twice as amazing — Intel Core Duo, iLife ’06, Front Row media experience, Apple Remote, built-in iSight. Starting at $1299. Free shipping.
• iPod Radio Remote. Listen to FM radio on your iPod and control everything with a convenient wired remote. Just $49.
• iPod. 15,000 songs. 25,000 photos. 150 hours of video. The new iPod. 30GB and 60GB models start at just $299. Free shipping.
• Connect iPod to your television set with the iPod AV Cable. Just $19.
Related articles:
Intel-based Macs running both Mac OS X and Windows will be good for Apple – June 10, 2005
Apple’s Mac is not doomed to small market share forever; the ‘Ignorance Lag’ is ending – February 11, 2005
Defending Windows over Mac a sign of mental illness – December 21, 2003
“Now Apple just needs to get entrenched IT types into believing that their power and staffing levels won’t be dramatically reduced if they buy Macs instead of Windows boxes”
No. Now Apple needs to get their heads out of their a** when it comes to enterprise sales and support efforts.
Yeah, but .. Hollywood dumps millions of Mac owners.
You better do the story, MDN. We’re going to need to discuss this one, eh?
This is awesome news!
Come on Apple. Get in that corporate space. Fund some third party software efforts. Get in the developer’s face like MS did.
Critic-
Right and when the IT types see the sales and support efforts they lie, tell the their boss or buisiness owner that “Macs are difficult, ect.”
So Apple still does not get their foot in the door.
If you can’t get past the IT department, then you don’t sell Macs.
There are many IT guys that go out of their way to bash Macs every step of the way. Even with hard evidence presented in from of them. Those are the support people that need to retire or be fired.
Oh, Enderle!
Banking would be a good candidate for an industry switch to OS X as the majority of Banking IT infrastructure runs on Unix or AIX variant software. Transition to Mac OS would be easy, to say the least.
That’s it!!! That’s the kind of story I have been waiting for!!! 10 or 12 more stories like that and the world will change.
Who do you think will be the first American Company to “Switch”?
“Apple’s growth in Mac sales has far outpaced that of the PC industry recently. Last year, it sold 4.7 million Macs, up 35% from the 3.5 million it sold in 2004, and far better than the 16% growth for the industry as a whole.
Yet that growth, so far, has done little to halt the steady erosion of Apple’s share of new PC shipments world-wide over the past decade. Shipments were at 2.3% of the overall market last year, up from 2% the prior two years, but down from 8.5% in 1994, according to market tracker International Data Corp.”
done LITTLE to halt the erosion???? Ummm…. Mac growth far outpaces the industry, and the % decline has become a % increase. That’s a TOTAL halt of the erosion, and the beginning of something better than a halt–a reversal. Duh.
I’d like to see that happen at least 130,435 more times. I’ll bring matches and marshmallows.
Is it really going to happen?
Who’s next?
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />
“Who’s next?”
It should be Texas Instruments. Since they make switches, the irony would be perfect.
Sorry, but MDN is wrong on this one. Telling the IT guys that they will need far fewer staff by switching to Macs is translated to:
Switching to Macs means that since you will only manage a much smaller group, your position, your grade and pay will be similarly cut to match your lower status.
It’s the CEO who has to be convinced, not the IT manager.
The impediments to entry into corporate sectors are threefold:
1- Enterprise software (the likes of Exchange and Outlook)
2- Server-side issues (Apple hasn’t really overcome the difficulties yet)
3- Hardware flexibility (this would be the point most IT people will talk about)
I would think that Apple could easily develop enterprise software to replace the offerings of MS, or at least make it natively possible to run them from within Mac OS. Xserve and the Mac OS X-server need a few tweeks and they’ll be ready for prime time. The last obstacle requires a bit more work, and perhaps a change in philosophy. Yet again, Apple is likely to gain a lot of ground, especially in small businesses that don’t have large IT departments, just by addressing the first 2 parts.
At the moment I am being held back from going mac at work because of one app – an app that runs through a remote desktop connection on windows anyway. I can do that on a mac but I can’t print because they won’t install any drivers on their end. On windows we use Tricerat’s ScrewDrivers to enable priting on any printer – however there isn’t a mac version. On the of chance I emailed them to ask about this and was told: “you are looking at May/ June time for that to be added to version 4 of screwdrivers which is being release in April, but the functionality that you require will be in by end of Q2. ” Now of course this could be a pat response from someone who has no clue, however I choose to be omptimistic and believe that within months I’ll be able to use my powerbook at work, my iMac at home and be happy.
Another bank in Japan, Shinsei, only uses Macs. I think they have the largest number of installed Macs in Japan.
When was the Xserve last upgraded?
I’ll add to Too Hot’s coments
4 – Apple’s product release secrecy doesn’t play with IT managers. These guys want to be kept up to date on upcoming products and want to see road maps (don’t like to wait for a SJ’s speech).
アッペルにようこそ！
こんにちは！
Smart move by the bank, must be also because Apple has much better language support for the Japanese and other non-english users.
I am proposing the same for my company
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />
That’s really cool! Actually if you use Macs in the corporate world Apple does give you there road map.
I did a contract job for a company, and the IT staff was well informed of what was coming and had pre-release software for them to test with well in advance of the products coming out. They did not release any of that information to me or anybody else but they did know what was in the works. They couldn’t release it as part of the confidentiality contract they signed with Apple.
私はこれとしてよいニュースを読むことを楽しむ。私はアメリカが見ていることを望む。
I enjoy reading good news as this. I hope that America is watching.
There is already a large US corporation using only Macs. They have around 15,000 employees, and every one who uses a computer uses a Mac. (I may be talking out of my butt here but until I’m proven wrong I’m gonna go on thinking it.)
Apple, Inc.
Wonder how THEY manage to do all their business stuff on a Mac?
That is a good point Wingsy.
My guess is that they either have some Win PCs and Win servers for some enterprise apps or have a lot of customized apps that were developed for them.
Brave new world.
Well, a few years ago I went to a computer trade show. the Apple corporatre reps were so everlovingly sincere (and BORING….) talking about how the Mac was such a good computer. And that was it.
The Microsoft sales reps came out amped up like ferrets of amphetamines, and did a great show, enthusiastically involving the audience and giving away software.
From a practcial standpoint it was like watching a dull prayer meeting vs an involving theatrical presentation.
What this has to do with the story is that you need enthusiastic users who get out the good news by word of mouth. Logical arguments don’t cut it with IT types who have to do their budgets years in advance.
“Who do you think will be the first American Company to “Switch”?”
Microsoft has been trying to “switch” to the Mac OS since 1984.