“When it comes to IT investments by businesses large and small, it’s all about the numbers,” David Shipley writes for The New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal. “There are other numbers beyond the sticker price business executives need to think about, particularly when making decisions about the next upgrade cycle. Known as total cost of ownership, such approach often leads companies to realize that higher-end computers offering more benefits than low-end machines because of increased worker productivity and longer lifespan.”
“Data theft, machine downtime, equipment repair, expensive scams and lost productivity are all things business leaders need to take into account when looking at computers and software. According to IT security firm Sophos Inc., there were 114,000 known viruses for the Windows platform in 2005, with a 44 per cent increase in malicious software. One in 44 e-mails in 2005 contained a virus.That’s reason to give any business pause. While companies are spending billions on anti-virus, spyware and anti-spam software, the onslaught from viruses continues to evolve with reports of organized crime now branching out online through theft of corporate secrets, blackmail and other scams” Shipley writes.
“Then there’s the Mac, which is virtually virus-free… While a few hackers have put out simple proof of concept viruses, there have been no widespread virus attacks on the Mac in the last five years. Apple’s Macs aren’t invulnerable, but the threats they face are the IT equivalent of a mild cold compared to the plethora of digital Ebola viruses infecting Windows,” Shipley writes. “Some argue that the Mac is immune from viruses because of its relative obscurity. Others argue its underlying take on computer security makes its more robust than Windows. Whatever the reason, it’s time for business people to stop thinking about Macs as a tool for the “graphics people.” It might just be time to move beyond total cost of ownership and to look at a new business term – competitive advantage. The good news for businesses looking at ditching Windows for Mac OS X is Apple’s latest generation of computers are competitively priced with similar offerings from other PC makers such as Dell or HP.”
“In March, Apple announced a new beta software program called Boot Camp that allowed users to install Windows XP alongside Mac OS X. This will enable users to continue to access Windows-only program while enjoying the security and features of Mac OS X. The only concern of course is that Macs running Windows are just as vulnerable to the same viruses that plague other PCs. The ability to boot between different operating systems is expected to be included in Apple’s next revision of OS X due in 2007,” Shipley writes. “Computers are a vital part of your operation whether you’re running a 10 person shop or a 1,000 person enterprise. But like any other business tool, they should just work. Sadly, in many cases, they don’t and cause businesses untold headaches. But perhaps an Apple or two can keep the more than 100,000 headaches away – or at least down to a far more manageable level.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Wolf” for the heads up.]
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Windows to Mac switchers: recommendations and Total Cost of Ownership analysis – September 29, 2005
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Windows worms and viruses cost companies average of $2 million per incident – July 08, 2004
That’s $250.00 for the PC + $50.00 Anti-Virus software + $100.00 additional Software + the Grief (Priceless) and time lost in money = What?
My IT department likes to spend as little on the harware as possible but fail to realize how much they’re really spending.
They’ll never learn
IMHO
Amen! They work great in my large construction business. NOT GRAPHICS!
This guy is right on, but what companies want is hardware vendor choice AND all the reliability and security Mac OS X brings.
They are not about to retrain millions of workers to OS X either and suffer lost productivity, although it would be a good investment in the longterm.
Windows already has a huge base of developers and whatnot which would be difficult to leave.
So in the big companies eyes the easiest method would be to force M$ to fix their software instead of jumping into a a more restrictive platform under Apple where there is no hardware choice.
Vista and Trusted Computing on EFI based computers will go a long way to solving that problem for them.
Of course if Vista fails miserably, then there is a chance, but M$ will just go back to patch upon patch cycle again and corporations and buisnesses will just accept it becasue they already bought in for another cycle.
People need to stop participating in group think:
1. Apple has been in business for over 30 years. If any hardware company will be around in the next 10, it’ll be Apple.
2. Big companies want choice? Then how come all of their choices are tied to one company: Microsoft?
In companies eyes, they would be trading a operating system monopoly (M$) for a hardware and operating system monopoly. (Apple)
If Apple released Mac OS X for any machine, then M$ will make Windows better and give it away for free to shut down Apple for good. Apple would of course lose and income from software and hardware sales as nobody would buy a Mac when a PC + pirate OS X would be cheaper and provide the same experience.
Only Apple Macs can run both Mac OS X and Windows. Two for the price of one. Even a CEO can understand that concept.
Run Mac OS X instead of Windows and watch productivity and profits rise. Workers actually work longer since they love working on the Macs. Put a price tag on that.
That’s what we’ve experienced in my company.
Unfortunately this reads like consumer reports dribble.
I’ve been harping on competitive advantage since the late 80s where the Mac is concerned.
It doesn’t matter.
The same processes that go into voting for a new Congressional candidate go into choosing a computer. I.e. none at all.
This is why we wind up with the same idiot congress people, and businesses wind up using the same idiotic OS over and over.
It seems to me the strategy for IT groups to follow is to run Windows only apps in Boot Camp or Parallels, but keep Windows off the internet since that is the avenue, excuse me Interstate, by which malware gains entrance to Windows. Confine Windows to the intranet of the organization, but do not let it have access to the internet. All email and web browsing should be done on Mac clients only. Quarantine keeps them clean! (Well, one hopes so, at any rate.)
Hah! More productivity on Macs?
Hortense knows that given a choice and lack of surveillance, employees would bring their movies, pictures and music to work to do the editing etc. with iLife on company Macs…just picture them working longer hours, either getting bonuses for their efforts, overtime pay for some. Yes, they would have so much fun using Macs that they would indeed stay longer at work.
No wonder companies want them to suffer by making work as unattactive as hell, which is what cows see when they truly look at the vista before them. They do not necessarily believe the grass is greener on the other side. Can’t have the workers racing to work, you know.
IT guys are there to have fun, not to let others in on it. And fun is staying employed, maxing out the number of IT guys per computer. That’s what “support” means.
Yes to bigger herds. No to Macs.
at least with the apple mac os x ‘monopoly’ things actually work. things are getting better, not worse…
money and time is saved, productivity goes up.
The argument that Macs running Windows and OS X will be attractive to businesses has a flaw: the extra IT support needed for TWO operating systems. What business is going to pay for the tech support for both when they both do the same thing? They’re going to either do all OS X or all Windows unless they’re a tiny business with one tech who knows the ins and outs of both.
static mesh,
If Apple released Mac OS X for any machine, then M$ will make Windows better and give it away for free to shut down Apple for good.
makes windows better? oh yea like they are actually able to do that at all, let alone overnight if apple ever did license os x.
but apple wont need to, microsoft may need to resort to giving away there os though, thats a good point, who really wants it?
sn,
I think the attraction is that the IT support for mac is about 100 times less than for windows in the real world and smart companies know they can cut costs by investing in macs.
wheres that flaw again?
This article may turn out to be a bit of a tipping point.
I haven’t seen anything so pro-business for Apple before. It’ll be picked up by other journo’s researching the topic and bingo…
Look out Microsoft. You had a good run for your money. But as we know nothing lasts forever – much less cheating, stealing, bullying, copying and incompetence.
sn:
Yep, you could have compromised Windows systems – which even senior Microsofties acknowledge can be impossible to fix at times (as per the Jim Allchin story yesterday and the remarks made by MSFT’s security czar [!] earlier this year) – and spend huge amounts of company money keeping your systems free of viruses and spyware.
Or you could buy a network of Macintoshes and have a support staff:user ratio of about 1:250, and not be a hostage to Microsoft, Symantec, McAfee and others.
Of course, many Mac OS professionals already have a good grounding in Windows tech – myself included – whilst many (or even most) Windows professionals (or paper-MCPs to be more accurate) don’t really know about Macintosh and – what’s more – are too blinkered to embark on a voyage of discovery.
Well I just said to my gf why do small buinesses stay with Windows. This was after her 3 mth old HP computer at work had to have 3 to 4 hours of ‘clean out’ work on it to cure it of all the viruses, malware and whatever that plagued it. As it was friend it didn’t cost alot though much of the price difference between it and an equivalent mac and of course she was unable to work for that time so loosing more ‘cash value’. Of course he also installed unpaid for virus software (the old had already gone awol) so it would have cost even more if it were legit. And of course no doubt in 3 months he will still have to come in and check it over again.
Big businesses may be tied into the Wintel platform (factually or simply psychologicaly) but really, most small businesses are not, especially with the capability to run windows anyway. All her company runs is Office. As certainly in Britain the majority of business is in fact rather small then the potential in that sector a sector that mostly doesn’t have IT people let alone IT departments is massive, if only they can be knocked out of their unthinking ways. By penetrating the home of course this sector can be influenced.
This is article is how more should be. It states that Macs are virtually virus free, a statement that on it’s own doesn’t mean a lot and one that is often used as a lazy covering tactic by journalist, however in this instance the statement is qualified with the mention of proof of concepts as being the only “threat” so far.
There’s nothing wrong with being somewhat vague as long as you define some sort of guideline as to how vague you’re being. Sadly most journalist go down the “macs are virtually virus free (but for all you know, when I say virtually I could mean that there enough woppers out there so that you’re still fscked.)” route.
Spyinthsky>
Dead correct.
The average business in the UK employs around 16.8 people according to the last data I saw, and the US is only slightly different being in the low-30s.
Actually, the vast majority of businesses in the UK employ five or less people which makes you wonder why Apple doesn’t try to make more of an impact.
Check this out: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5019856.stm
What a waste of money!!
“but the threats they face are the IT equivalent of a mild cold compared to the plethora of digital Ebola viruses infecting Windows”
That’s just classic!
@Hortense the Cow:
“Hortense knows that given a choice and lack of surveillance, employees would bring their movies, pictures and music to work to do the editing etc. with iLife on company Macs…just picture them working longer hours, either getting bonuses for their efforts, overtime pay for some. Yes, they would have so much fun using Macs that they would indeed stay longer at work.”
Not everyone goes to work to read blogs, post on news sites, play games, etc. Some of us actually work when we are in the office, mmmkay?
Gotta get back to UT2k4… errr… work.
re: “They are not about to retrain millions of workers to OS X either and suffer lost productivity, although it would be a good investment in the longterm.” and others
In most big companies with the cubicles, virtually no knowledge of Windows is needed by the individual employee who usually works with one or two industry specific applications that require nothing more than
tab, enter data, tab, enter data, etc. etc , enter to get to next page, then tab, etc. etc.
The training for use of those apps usually involves anywhere from one hour to two days, then the rest is just repetitive practice.
Very little real investment in retraining compared to the big picture.
Someone might argue: then why change? The companies that I have worked for who use Windows rarely get through a week without the network or the file server being down at least an hour or two a week.
Won’t mention a name, but the parent company owns one of the so called big 3 tv networks.
iLife apps will almost never have any benefit in a corporate environment. iWork, yes, Keynote is ready, Pages, kind of. The lack of 150 obscure icons, and the so-called features associated with them is actually a benefit, compared to Word. Just fix a few things.
When Apple can give you sub-24hr turnaround on a replacement MacBook while on a business trip (like IBM, etc., can), then IT departments will start considering adding it to their approved vendor list.
Until then, Apple’s enterprise-level support is a myth.
Actually, I did get a replacement logic board on my iBook inb 36 hours, from Rapid City, South Dakota, to Memphis and back.
Yours would be the first sub 24 hour turn around that I have heard of.
Long time MacDailyNews reader, first time having my stuff here.
Wow did it ever weird me out. Glad to see some interest comments about my first tech column.