“The growth of Macintosh desktop clients in enterprises will be more of a hindrance to Linux desktop growth than Windows, one analyst firm says in a recent report,” Phil Hochmuth reports for Network World.
Hochmuth reports, “Gartner says the increasing popularity of Apple’s desktop operating system in some enterprises could come at the expense of Linux desktops. Popular marketing and advertising campaigns for Macs has the machines on the minds of some corporate computer users, while Linux desktops are still somewhat obscure.”
“Several factors still hold Apple back on enterprise desktops. It does not license its OS X operating system to other hardware vendors. The consumer-oriented focus of the interface and applications is a turnoff for IT administrators, as well as the lack of IT management tools. But Gartner says these machines will find their way into enterprises through the ‘back door,'” Hochmuth reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As covered in the full article, the real problem for Mac and Linux is that many organizations have sold their souls to Microsoft by creating and/or using Windows-only programs and developing Internet Explorer-only web apps. Unfortunately many companies have so shackled themselves to Windows, they have no idea how to even begin to extricate themselves. Of course, since Macs can also run Windows, Apple has given them the ability to transition at their own pace if – and this is a very big “if,” as job security and staffing levels are a concern to the IT types – if they will accept Apple’s gift of freedom.
Note to CEOs: your IT department should not be making final hardware and software purchasing decisions. They should be supporting your company’s technology needs. You should get independent viewpoints (find people who recommend Macs and make them explain why) and retain the decision-making role for yourselves. Don’t settle for Windows-only shackles. A marked increase in productivity and reliability for your company is there for the taking. You can get Macs and seamlessly integrate them into your business – even if all you do at first is run Windows on them. You can explore Mac OS X and better ways of doing things according to your own timeline (hint: start by using Keynote instead of PowerPoint for your presentations and watch your audiences perk up). Just don’t expect your IT people to ever recommend Apple, as they may have ulterior motives for sticking with Microsoft.
Start exploring here: http://www.apple.com/business/
Mac business and vertical markets software: http://guide.apple.com/uscategories/business.lasso
Related articles:
Computerworld: Enterprise decision-makers should consider migrating to Mac OS X and Apple hardware – December 21, 2006
Apple’s Mac means business – December 18, 2006
Hands on: Parallels Desktop for Mac in a business setting – December 10, 2006
InfoWorld: Apple’s Mac OS X platform deserves good, hard look by enterprise – September 22, 2006
Prejudice keeps Apple Mac out of the enterprise – September 01, 2006
Boot Camp: Apple’s Trojan horse into the enterprise market? – April 05, 2006
Okay, it won’t happen overnight then… but it will happen!
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Those computer administrators are protecting their turf. Why have something that anybody can do?
The “consumer-focused” design should be seen as a “people-focused” design, rather than IT robots.
Note to CEOs: your IT department should not be making final hardware and software purchasing decisions.
You mean “support staff”. Of course the IT department has to have the final say about hardware and software. They’re the only people in the entire company that know thing #1 about computers.
My employer uses several critical applications that run inside Internet Explorer, so we’re doubly screwed. Not only can we not change the OS, we can’t change our browser. I have bitched loudly about this.
Nevertheless, the IT people are the only people who know anything at all.
Apple should concentrate on the small businesses to overcome the ‘legacy’ software issue. Most small businesses can do very well without the need of proprietary or special software. Small business creation is also the biggest growth sector, not large moribund companies with entrenched, sometimes ancient, and often poorly designed software.
That’s the ‘manner’ in which Apple can grow their business story.
“Just don’t expect your IT people to ever recommend Apple, as they may have ulterior motives for sticking with Microsoft.”
Like job security? It take about one third the staff to support the same number of Macs as it does PC’s. A well known fact and maybe too well known among IT staff!
LordRobin gets it.
IT people are a fantastic resource for open minded computer-related decision making in the workplace. If you ask me, look no further—especially the IT guys LordRobin works with—”several critical applications that run inside Internet Explorer”! Sounds like heaven on earth. You mean I can run proprietary apps using only Microsoft’s marvelous Internet Explorer? Got any openings? Maybe I can work in the cubicle next to you and we can squirt at lunchtime. Bring your Zune too.
Nope. Nothing myopic about IT decision making at all. Great bunch of guys too.
Your potential. Our passion.
To the last paragraph of the abstract above, Yes, Amen, Halleluhia, Preach It.
In a way the opening line of the article is nonsensical, if Linux begins to make more inroads into the enterprise market place than Mac then they will tend to displace the Mac and everything else before they put a dent into the globally entrenched Windows installation base [enterprise]. Its kind of like saying that the color red is red because its red and not some other color.
As for the UI of the Mac being more “consumer” looking… I’m sorry, what? I think OS X not only looks 5 to 10 years more modern than Windows, it has always made Windows (98, XP, whatever), look like some of my kid’s crayons and drawing books, give me a freaking break.
Note to CEOs: your IT department should not be making final hardware and software purchasing decisions.
This exact point was made in an article in the November 2006 issue of the Harvard Business Review. Unfortunately, it is not the way that most businesses operate.
Which is just another factor in explaining why so many businesses are run so poorly.
My experience with some MS IT folks is that they HATE Apple and the Macintosh; refuse to really learn it and come just short of sabotage.
I’ve worked in a large data base company that requires heavy Large server use. They also have a growing graphics department – all Macs. Forever there was only a small Windows PC to use as a server for the Mac Department. It worked but barely. File names could only be so long. It would also corrupt mac files and on and on – And it was Slooooow.
Finally they bought an Apple server for the graphics department. And Still they have trouble with files??? The head of the IT department claims to have read all there is to know about the server – OK, so why doesn’t it work properly???
Several attempts were been made to bring in an actual Apple Server Expert but the IT manager/department REFUSED to allow anyone to help them to set the server up properly. Perhaps they are afraid of showing their ignorance.
That is the Windows IT department. NOT open minded at all. NOT a great bunch of open minded guys.
I’ve worked in several organizations where the IT person was an actual Certified Mac person – I NEVER experienced a problem with the servers.
Don’t ask “why don’t we run Macs” but ask “Why do we only run Windows?”
The wrong answer will come back “everyone else runs Windows”. And you thought IT decision makers have a brain. I was one and we are all crowd followers.
Thankfully a new crowd is entering town.
“The consumer-oriented focus of the interface and applications is a turnoff for IT administrators, as well as the lack of IT management tools.”
Another knucklehead talking out of his you know what. He obviously has never heard of OS X Server, which allows for tight control of what apps a user can use. This is done with OS X Server Workgroup manager. In addition, he also has never heard of Apple Remote Desktop. That thing is killer when it comes to managing computers. They are up to version 3.0. I worked in a Mac shop when it was on version 1.0-2.0 and believe me, it saved the sole on my shoes. Not having to walk to do deskside support. It was a breeze. I left because of a change in management. New director wanted more PCs in the org. If things work as planned, I’ll be in a Mac shop again by summer.
*crossing my fingers and praying to the Mac gods.*
@Holy Mack:
“everyone else runs Windows”
reminds me of
9 billion flys cant be wrong, eat shit.
Nearly half of the laptops you see in elite universities in the US are Macs.
Last year it was a third and we thought that was good!
Many of these young people will start businesses and they wont change to Dells!
Many of those who don’t start businesses will get good positions in established firms and they will arrive at work with a MacBook pro – and they won’t be alone anymore.
This is how industry will slowly but surely cleanse itself of the evil MS empire.
As someone who works in IT and is a Mac convert, I resent some of these comments a little. If someone can show me ENTERPRISE level software that handles email, database, user control etc that runs on OS X Server and is 100% compatible with Microsoft’s products (and let’s face it, we can all shout that people should not be using Microsoft but the fact is that most of the world are and won’t change so that compatibility is absolutely essential) then I’ll be more than happy to implement it into our business but the fact is the software just isn’t there. Whether Apple are doing this for a reason or not, I don’t know but until they do (if ever) there is no alternative for medium to large businesses other than Microsoft.
Don’t just think the problem is with blinkered IT staff. Granted there are some out there but give the rest of us a reasonable software alternative and we’ll take it. Do you think we like the Patch/AV/Spyware/Malware tedium that is maintaining MS Server infrastructures (alright, some people do but I don’t!)
MDN Magic Word: Learned (As in someone of us have learned but cannot do)
It shouldn’t be that things should be “compatible with MS products”, the minute they are MicroSoft would change things so it would break. Unfortunately it was a upgrade so they couldn’t help that your other software doesn’t work on your mac. “Get Windows” would be the company line. Instead in an ideal world MicroSlut would actually make software that follows standards. Yeah right, I’ve been hitting the bong too much tonight.. 🙁
MDN: Together as in Microsoft and Macs will never be known for working well together if Redmond has their way.
I know what you’re saying but Apple hasn’t reeeally gone out of their way to make their software work with Microshaft. And why should they? But the harsh reality is that they have to at least make the situation better than it is if they want the corporate market.
Perhaps they don’t need it? Or don’t want it? Unlike MS’s policy of “Jack Of All Trades, Master Of None”
MDN Magic Word: deep (as in how deep would the doodoo be for MS if Apple did bring out enterprise apps?)
There are some alternatives to MS enterprise software. They aren’t as complete a line up though. You need a few different pieces of software to accomplish different things. Google searches can bring up the companies. It would be spectacular if someone did put this all together with Apple and went after that business. Even if just for small business.
Just this week I have finally got Parallels sharing files to work and work well on both computers, using Parallels’ latest version issued late December. The main problem for me was sharing files between Win XP and Mac OS X, and that has finally been fixed. So even in a medium or large enterprise, a Mac will be far more useful to the vast majority of users because they can finally use the Mac applications in addition to any essential Win ones.
Businesses that take this path will find that users will be happier, and everybody will be more productive. This means more profits for the enlightened businesses, and significant competitive advantage.