“With Release Candidate 1 of Windows Vista now available, it is high time for IT departments to seriously consider their plans for Microsoft’s forthcoming desktop client,” Daniel Robinson writes for Computing. “And top of their list of questions should be: do we need it?”
Robinson writes, “A question like this is almost heresy in the world of business computing. IT managers reading this article will no doubt ask what other option they have. Mac OS X runs only on Apple systems, so switching to that platform is out of the question, unless you fancy buying its overpriced eye candy and getting locked in to a single hardware vendor.”
MacDailyNews Take: You’re not serving your readers very well with your ignorant “overpriced eye candy” bullshit, Danny Boy. We’ll address your “locked in to a single hardware vendor” bit down below, but first let’s take a look at these related articles:
Fortune compares Mac vs. Dell: ‘you’ll get more for your money with Apple’ – September 11, 2006
Thurrott pits Apple Mac Pro vs. similarly configured Dell, figures out the Mac is less expensive – August 18, 2006
Microsoft Windows five times more expensive for users than Apple’s Mac OS X – August 15, 2006
Apple Mac Pro with/ 20” Cinema Display less expensive than Dell Precision 690 sans monitor – August 10, 2006
Get a Mac: Viruses, spyware cost U.S. consumers $7.8 billion over last two years – August 08, 2006
Mossberg: Apple’s new MacBook surprisingly inexpensive, offers vastly superior Mac OS X – June 08, 2006
FBI: Viruses, spyware, other computer-related crimes cost U.S. businesses $67.2 billion per year – February 01, 2006
Are those enough for you? Because we have plenty more of the same if you like.
Robinson continues, “Windows Vista… hardware requirements are much more demanding than those for Windows XP, which means that firms will probably have to invest in new PCs if they want to get the most out of Vista. In fact, most corporate desktops now in use will hardly be adequate to run Vista, if my experience with the beta releases is anything to go by. Is Vista worth all this extra investment? I find it difficult to pinpoint any area in which Windows Vista is a significant advance over Windows XP.”
“In fact, many of the features that would have made Windows Vista more appealing to corporate customers – such as the database-like WinFS file system – have been dropped altogether,” Robinson writes.
“Like it or not, Windows Vista will be here by the end of the year, and available pre-installed on PC systems early next year. And from then, Windows XP will only be available for another two years before it is discontinued,” Robinson writes. “This timescale means that companies cannot afford to sit on their hands and put off the difficult decision of whether to start an upgrade process to Windows Vista. The second question to ask is a much more problematic one: do you have any choice?”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: To answer Robinsion’s rhetorical question, “do you have any choice?” No. Not if you stay with Microsoft Windows. And that brings us to Robinson’s “locked in to a single hardware vendor” garbage: With Windows you are – drum roll please – “locked in to a single operating system vendor.” Microsoft Window PCs don’t offer choice. They offer the illusion of choice. Sure, you can pit box assemblers against each other to save some cash upfront (and waste a boatload from then on trying to secure the in-securable and on support costs – it’s called Total Cost of Ownership, you should think about it sometime), but Apple’s Macs are certainly price competitive – especially since each successive version of Mac OS X runs faster on old hardware, unlike Windows.
So, there is no extra “choice” in choosing Windows PC over Apple Macintosh. In fact there is less choice because only Apple Macs give you real choice in that they can run Mac OS X, Windows and Linux. So you’re “locked in” with superior Mac hardware that gives you a real choice of operating systems or you’re really locked in to the inferior, insecure Microsoft Windows running on commodity assemblers’ OS-limited boxes.
Keep in mind that Apple is a highly profitable company, in business for decades, with a market cap $13 billion higher than Dell’s today.
Mr. IT Manager, how do you feel about your “choice” with those all of those boxes you’re now stuck with from, oh, IBM (defuct) or AST (defunct) or any number of hundreds of PC box assemblers that have come and gone? Good choices there, buddy. Way to avoid that “lock-in.”
The fact is, if you want to choose the one hardware company that will be in business a decade from now, your best bet is Apple Computer, Inc. And only Apple Macs will be able to run the widest variety of operating systems and applications thereby giving you real choice for a change.
Contact info: daniel_robinson@vnu.co.uk
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Infoworld: Microsoft’s WIndows Vista not so revolutionary after all – September 11, 2006
Microsoft’s greatest trick: convincing the public that the Wintel PC platform is open – March 06, 2006
Computerworld: Microsoft Windows Vista a distant second-best to Apple Mac OS X – June 02, 2006
Defending Windows over Mac a sign of mental illness – December 20, 2003
is that the dude that once founded gentoo? drobbins?
😐
Let’s face it, if you work for a large firm with an IT department chances are pretty good that you won’t see Vista for years after it’s release as the IT guys need time to evaluate how it works with all the proprietary company software. The company I work for just upgraded everyone last year to XP after years of testing. There is no chance they will turn around and do it again anytime soon. They’ll simply reimage the drives to use XP and pass out the machines.
The one’s that are hosed are the small businesses that may have no choice in purchasing a new PC.
‘dead’ as in this is already a dead horse, let’s kick it some more.
It makes me laugh to think how hypocritical people are about the things they want and own. They’ll have no problem spending tons of cash on clothes, or cars, comic books, game consoles and any other thingee they want, but for so many, computers are supposed to be cheap.
One of the most revolutionary, mind-expanding technologies to ever grace humankind is $299 with a coupon. Ugh. Like Steve has said repeatedly, “They have no taste.” It obviously doesn’t just apply to M$, but their whole sandbox. Litter box. Ok, crap hole. There’s no need to be pretentious.
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Poo, please let me know why I am a moron and why you don’t belive me!
I do know that there is other accounting software available, but we use Quickbooks Enterprise and it doesn’t run on a Mac. Everybody in the company is satisfied with Quickbooks and the IT manager doesn’t see the point in switching to Macs, because it would mean that we also had to switch accounting system!
I wish it was different.
Honestly, a few years ago the monopoly agrument had some truth to it; the choice was between Microsoft’s horizontal monopoly or Apple’s vertical monopoly.
Through Boot Camp etal, the playing field has shifted so that Apple can become a participant in Microsoft’s horizontal monopoly.
Honestly, I don’t understand why the public would not just purchase a Mac and use it as a PC 95% of the time, switching over to OSX only to use the iSuite. $ for $ Apple’s are competitive with anything Dell puts out and Apple has higher quality.
Some companies are still running Windows Y2K Pro!!
Danny boy probably feels a little (defuct) himself. (Check the IBM note in the MDN take).
Apple will license OSX in the future. It will be a sad day, heralding Apple’s demise as a hardware company, an emergence as a software provider. Apple is already a hardware designer, not a hardware producer. Margins on hardware will continue to decline as Apple tries to be competitive on the basis of price. There will come a point where Apple will be able to make more on each OS license than the hardware; I think we are just about there. . .
This will come as Jobs ages and retires. It will be a sad day, but some harware provider, or maybe a division / split off of Apple will continue to produce slick hardwarefor those who demand it.
On the bright side, once folks can buy a Dull or Sony with OSX, they will flock to it in droves- first the home user, then business. M$oft will continue in it’s death spiral over a period of 20 years or so, a lot like ATT- fading away. And unfortunately, although Apple probably has another 5 to 10 years of upswing in hardware. . . it to will decline-.
Oh boy look at the reaction we get from MDN!!!!
The FACT remains, Apple is a hardware and OS lock. M$ is just a OS lock.
Apple does NOT seperate it’s OS from hardware. What Apple gives you take, right up the ass sometimes. (Mighty Mouse, Stainbooks, Frybooks, Whinebooks??)
Apple will begin to sell considerably less hardware than before because the processor advantage is gone. No more “Big Mac” supercomputers. Apple just shafted it’s entire PPC user base, PCI-X users can’t even get video cards upgrades because Apple suddenly switched to PCIe.
Apple does NOT provide alterations of it’s OS to run zillions of other purpose devices.
For instance the self checkout machine at my local supermarket runs WindowsPOS. (POS = point of sale, and it is a Piece of Shit too)
WHERE IS APPLE’S POS? Where is their software to run CAD/CAM?
Apple is and only a CONSUMER PRODUCTS COMPANY. Well MDM the rest of the world needs to have a OS seperate from hardware and unfortunatly Microsoft provides.
YOU CAN BEST YOURSELF TO DEATH MDN WITH YOUR RETHORIC
But the fact remains, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are buddies. Steve stays the hell out of Bills buisness and Bill doesn’t squash Apple into applesauce.
Hell Apple even sells OfficeMac!!!
Apple is using Intel chips now, has moved all of it’s hardware to be almost identical to PC’s in nature, even released “Boot Camp” to get the Mac user base to finally accept it’s Windows destiny.
Apple is skitzo with their hardware to the point that it’s not worth making devices for them if the model volume isn’t high enough to justify the investment. This just fscks Apple buyers in the ass.
I don’t think Apple will go only software. What they will do is continue to push consumer electronics and personal tech into new directions. It will get pretty fantastic in a fairly short time. Sci Fi, here we come!
Dude, you need an enema. Constipation can kill!
unless you fancy buying its overpriced eye candy and getting locked in to a single hardware vendor
Said by the same folks who happily lock themselves into Dell?
I agree with MDN’s take on “overpriced eye candy”: ignorant bullshit.
IMO you’d have to be falling down dumb and/or supremely anal to NOT seriously consider Mac at this point.
MDN does Apple and itself a dis-service with it’s senseless rethoric and only reinforces the Windows monopoly.
Let’s face it, until Trusted Computing is in full force, Apple can’t sell their software seperatly from hardware.
If Apple fscks users up the wazoo, it may just bring some joy to all those Vista-mates; when Vista can’t get it up, they’ll need some company.
Violent IT guy– call me.
OS X Server sucks too, Linux is much better. Windows Server is worst.
The FACT remains, Apple is a hardware and OS lock. M$ is just a OS lock.
Really?
Like they say, wait until Vista ships. With the forthcoming driver issues, the only way you’ll get a working Vista is to buy it OEM pre-installed. Sounds like a hardware and OS lock to me, with a shithole OS. At least Apple is worth being locked into.
Apple does NOT seperate it’s OS from hardware.
Which is why things “just work”.
WHERE IS APPLE’S POS?
Have you been to an Apple Store? Whaddya suppose runs on the iMacs at the checkout? Granted Apple doesn’t sell their point-of-sale solution, but they certainly have one.
Where is their software to run CAD/CAM?
You got me there. But then where is MS’s CAD/CAM for Windows?
But the fact remains, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are buddies. Steve stays the hell out of Bills buisness and Bill doesn’t squash Apple into applesauce.
Bill Gates is an irrelevant has-been. Ballmer runs MS now (heh, it shows), and he doesn’t have a clue either. Neither could crush Apple today if they wanted.
“I do know that there is other accounting software available, but we use Quickbooks Enterprise and it doesn’t run on a Mac. Everybody in the company is satisfied with Quickbooks and the IT manager doesn’t see the point in switching to Macs, because it would mean that we also had to switch accounting system!”
This is a fair statement. But then you have to ask yourself the obvious question, “How much is sticking with Windows to run QuickBooks Enterprise costing you?”
I don’t know the size of your company, obviously. But since you’re using QuickBooks Enterprise, I’d imagine it’s decent sized. How many Windows PCs does your company have? I assume that not everyone is using QuickBooks Enterprise. What other software are other people using that is PC only?
The “Let’s switch the whole company” thing is like beating your head against a brick wall. It won’t happen. Generally speaking, it can’t happen. There’s PC-only software that some places need to run. The better approach is to try to convert departments piece-meal. Does the sales department need PCs? How about marketing? Facilities? Shipping?
When you approach it that way, you can generally find enough savings to turn heads.
To take on another poster…
“WHERE IS APPLE’S POS? Where is their software to run CAD/CAM?”
MacPOSX, Octopus, and PayGo SP.
My suggestion is before you start wondering, “Where is the software to do…?”, you wander over to Apple’s Macintosh Products Guide and have a look-see.
The primary problem is getting locked in to one vendor for hardware. If Apple licensed the OS, the IT world would be more likely to consider OS X. Apple could also expan market share much faster.
MacPOSX, Octopus, and PayGo SP.
But what’s the use if Apple hardware isn’t open for alteration?
One has to accept the limited hardware Apple offers.
For example at the Apple Stores a Mac is hooked up to a change drawer and a credit card authorizer. What about combining devices and adding a small monitor for customers to view their purchase total?
Oh that’s right, Apple OS is married to their hardware, so someone can’t make a nice all in one Point of Sale device.
Well I guess it’s back to Dell, they do provide such a device and Microsoft does provide the software.
It makes me laugh to think how hypocritical people are about the things they want and own.
People? How about corporations?!
They “outsource” (i.e. send to India) everything but the boardroom to save money, yet cling dearly to the Microsoft ball-and-chain. Incredible.
Hmm maybe we’ve been approaching this wrong way. If corporate boards got the message they could increase productivity, thus company profits, thus the board members’ personal bonuses, all by using Mac, we’d be amazed how fast enterprise would go Apple.
A little greed goes a long way…
My email to this Limey was, “Dear Sir. You, of course, are joking or smoking.”
To answer your rhetorical question, etc, etc, etc.
I am a Limey also.
I’m sensing some friction here. I don’t know, is it just me? I guess todays date makes a lot of this seem petty.
Oh, and “Death to Microsoft!”
The Department of Homeland Insecurity has standardized on Windows PCs and servers. Doesn’t that make you feel really confident in our government and those running it? Maybe that’s why FEMA (part of DHS) was so screwed up last year after Katrina.
overpriced eye candy?!?!
just what the hell does he think Vista is?! Windows Service Pack 3 with a ooey, gooey GUI!! a Mac OS X wannabe!!
…getting locked in to a single hardware vendor
what the fluck does that mean? ohhh, maybe he means that corporations would be better served if they had a bunch of Dells, a few HP’s, a smattering of Gateways, a sprinkling of Acers, an IBM or two and the occasional Compac lying around? some of which are still running Windows ME or earlier because they’re too outmoded to run anything else with those same computers being the ones that are most likely to be the cause of the whole system becoming corrupted due to a breach in the oldest, weakest link? and he’s trying to convince us that the aformentioned situation is better than using a newer, more virus resistant system that can run Mac OS X and Windows and Linux and Unix??
…firms will probably have to invest in new PCs if they want to get the most out of Vista. In fact, most corporate desktops now in use will hardly be adequate to run Vista
hmm. so… it’s perfectly fine to be locked into the single OS system that is most likely to be brought down by the “Malware of the Week”. uh-huh… suuuuure! crimminy!! at the very least if you start using Linux you wont have to upgrade all you’re outmoded PC’s and have waaaaaay higher resistance to malware and better security!
oh, i give up. this guy is a hopeless turd.
True he’s talking out of his arse