Is It Time for Macs to Go Corporate

(Picture sourced from Flickr)

This week's BW Cover Story podcast talks about the opportunity of Mac gaining corporate sales.

Businessweek story: The Mac in the Gray Flannel Suit and the accompanying podcast download link.

It's pretty easy to know the outcome if you know the principle of technology.

Technology is all about saving time and money.

So is using Mac in the office going to help you save time and money? And what are the alternatives out there compared to the Mac?

Business needs require business software. Are there available software that your business needs? For example, if you're using Microsoft Office on a Windows computer, there is also a Mac equivalent version of Microsoft Office.

Although Macs can run Windows, it will require an additional Windows license (think extra money!). You'll also have to boot up into Windows (think extra time!). If you constantly switch from Mac OS to Windows OS, your productivity will take a hit. Of course you can run Windows OS inside Mac OS via virtualisation, but note again you need to spend extra money again on the virtualisation software.

So if you really need to switch from Windows OS to Mac OS frequently, don't get a Mac. You won't be saving time.

Both Windows OS and Mac OS are pretty stable. But stability not a factor in deciding whether to buy. The factor is whether the stability will translate into time/cost savings. Do you see what I'm trying to say? All the features count for nought if they are unable to translate into time/cost savings.

Some argue that Macs are more expensive. It's a very sound argument. Let's go back to the principle again. Is that expensive Macs going to help you save time and cost more than the less expensive computer?

Note also that there are two variables, time and money. You'll value one more than the other. It's the reason why people pay more for cabs and some take the bus to work.

If I were a CIO for a company, making purchasing decision will take seconds.

Users of computers don't really care about anything else other than getting their job done, and done fast.

I use a Windows computer at work. It used to be a Mac but it didn't support a particular software the new workflow required.