“Historically, Macs and small business aren’t often associated with each other. Yet smaller firms seem to be one of the markets Apple is targeting with Mac OS X Leopard Server. Leopard Server’s new Server Preferences interface is designed primarily for small businesses, which often need some of the features of a server but don’t have the budget for dedicated hardware or an IT specialist. Apple has also been targeting small businesses with a special section of its Web site and with special events in its retail stores to educate users and business owners about how Mac OS X can be used,” Ryan Faas writes for Computerworld.
“In many ways, Mac OS X is an ideal platform for small businesses and offices. It is easy to install and set up, often requires little technical support to maintain, and remains free of many of the virus and malware problems that plague Windows PCs. All of this should be appealing for a business with anywhere from a handful to a few dozen employees that cannot afford full-time IT staff,” Faas writes.
“While lower TCO and fewer problems are advantages to Mac OS X for small businesses, they don’t account for a recent surge in Macs as business machines. That can be attributed mostly to Apple’s transition to Intel processors and the fact that its hardware can now run Windows applications for those times when a comparable Mac-related product isn’t available. The ability to use Apple’s Boot Camp or one of the other virtualization tools to run Windows applications also helps stagger transition costs as businesses buy and migrate to Mac hardware and software,” Faas writes.
Faas writes, “Easy setup and better security alone don’t make any computer a solution for business. For that, you also need software. Perhaps the biggest misconception about the Mac in small business is that it is a computer for home users, educators and graphics/media design, and that there simply aren’t any business tools available to Mac users. That might have been the case in the past, but that is certainly not true today.”
Full article – highly recommended – with many software links here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Apple Mac begins to catch on with corporate IT – February 28, 2007
New IBM software to help business to offer employees the choice of running Apple Macs – February 12, 2007
Gartner: Growth of Mac desktops in enterprise to hinder Linux more than Windows – January 02, 2007
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
The tide keeps on turning. Gonna be a great year for AAPL.
I’m not sure where this article is coming from. Apple has always gone after small businesses. Dentist offices, Lawyers, etc.. In fact I remember attending an Apple-Sponsored small business conference in the 90’s. It’s Apple and Corporate IT that have never been associated. That is, until now. Things are looking up in the coporate market due to the switch to Intel
You know? I remember the slogan “The ease of Mac, the power of UNIX” (or something like that) when Mac OS X was released.
Well guess what? The same is happening with servers. UNIX os definitely much better than any Windows technology. And with the Mac ease of use, well once again it will be the ease of Mac and the power of UNIX.
Microsoft should be shaking…
Just opened a bicycle repair shop and have an iMac G4 (with the cool round base) greeting people as they walk in. I get all kinds of compliments on it.
Had to switch to a black keyboard though…greasy fingers and the white Apple keybords don’t go well together.
Fact-Apple has a very small/non-existant profile in the business area.
Fact- I have never seen an ad with business as a target from Apple.
Fact- I ran a publication business for many years, with 700 people and around 60 artist. I was never approached by Apple, just IBM and NEC.
I did have a few Macs but since I retired they’ve all gone the way of the dodo.
uh…it’s free of ALL of the virus and malware problems that plague Windows PCs.
SB-existent-sorry
Ron, Ron, Ron,
You ran a publications business without many macs, no wonder it went dodo.
What did those 700 people do while the artists made you money?
Fact – Your Dumb
Fact – Your Dumber
Fact – Who the hell are you?
Just a thought
Tacoma-you ignorant twat.
The Macs went the way of the dodo. The business is still thriving after being bought by AT&T. I did about 70 million annual billing-7 million average profit. I got a piece of the action. Just 1%.
I’m rich in retirement, and about to buy some more Apple gear. After Leopard.
BTW Tacoma, your comprehension level is around 2nd grade. Fool.
@ ron:
Please go back to your rocking chair and research your “facts” before spouting off.
“fact – ron has never seen…
Ok. No problem there.
“fact – ron ran a 700 person…
Ok. No problem there.
“fact – Apple has a very small/non-existent…
Whoa there, twit. Speaking for yourself is fine. Mindless generalizing and then responding to name-calling with name-calling tells me just how reliable your info is.
Want some lemonade to take out to the porch?
Ron – Just think what kind of money you could have made in publication if you creative people could have been creative using Macs? You probably would have been twice as productive and even more profitable..
Ron, Ron, Ron,
Why are you waiting to buy macs, $129.00 to steep for Leopard upgrade.
I thought you were rich in retirement.
You are right about one thing, I do like twat..
Fact: you are still dumb….
Just a Thought (JAT)
Wow Ron settle down there buddy – I am getting a taste of what it must have been like to work for you….. Wow as soon as someone says anything critical you call them a twit.. I can hear it now… One of your creative types calls you up and says that want a Mac to be productive and all the design files they get are created in the mac.. and You say shut up twit and just get the job done on that crappy windows machine we gave you to use..
You are a real ASS
You lot are hilarious.
The computers we had were built to order and programmed to allow typists to simply produce display ads.
The artists did the drawings.
Tacoma, you should learn that you don’t get rich by spending unwisely.
Now to get back to my lemonade on the porch–aah-lovely.
Last word for Ron,
I am very happy you are buying a mac.
I am sorry for calling you (you know)
I hope we can be electronic friends in the future.
One More Thing, and this is from my 2nd grade education;
Did you get 1% of Profit which would be $700,000 Rich, not so much!
or 1% of Gross which means you took a full years profit which is only 10%.
Always your friend, seriously
No matter how dumb your are and thats a Fact
Peace Tacoma.
I’ve had Macs for as long as they’ve been built. I’ve bought Macs for other people.
Sometimes one has to allow their bosses to buy other types of equipment because the other branch offices all have it.
I left school at 15 in England and made good in the USA. I do a lot of artwork now and coach soccer etc. I really don’t have a rocking chair and will be 74 tomorrow.
God bless you Tacoma–I won’t add a cruel parting remark.
That profit was every year for at least seventeen years.
If you are looking to get a new server, keep in mind that Apple servers have unlimited cliernts. NO Client Access Licenses like M$. Based on that fact alone, Dell servers TOC is much more expensive than Apple servers. CALS make your server TOC go up as you add users, so this is important as your business grows, and you wonder why IT costs go through the roof.
I also recommend iTools from Tenon. Great software and excellent support staff.
“Apple’s Mac OS X an ideal platform for SMBs”
And Windows is still ideal for SOBs.
I wish I was in second grade. I could kick everybody’s ass and sleep with the teacher.