Top five reasons small businesses dump their PC for a Mac

Dude111

Macmegasite

Skerries

right click this baby!

Dude111

I used one years ago (It only had 1 button on the mouse) kinda strange....

It was my sisters.........

brianwalshcork

1. Free, Fast File Transfer From Apple
2. Mac OS X Leopard-More Intuitive, Crashes Less, Runs Faster
3. Unlike PCs, Macs Aren’t Plagued By Viruses and Spyware Downloads
4. Hundreds of Business Applications to Choose From
5. Apple Support-Accessible, Knowledgeable and, Actually, Helpful

The third reason is the only valid one in that list.

alexlyons

1, 2, 3 and 4 are true. 5 isn't 100% true but there are far worse out there.

1 is a joke of a reason. 2 is true for most users if they don't try and change to much in depth. 3 is true outright. 4 is true but a gain a joke of a reason, there are hundreds of business applications on pc's too.

For the record, I'm a complete mac head!!

Skerries

Dude111 wrote: »

I used one years ago (It only had 1 button on the mouse) kinda strange....

It was my sisters.........

urgh! that wasn't a mouse!

ZENER

Dude111 wrote: »

I used one years ago (It only had 1 button on the mouse) kinda strange....

It was my sisters.........

Oddly even with a new Mac the mouse still operates as a One-Button device !! One must change the characteristics of the Right-Click in System Preferences to get a Two - or more !! - Button mouse ! The Mouse is a multi buttoned unit but Apple in their wisdom default it to one button ?!

As a Mac user of some 17+ years even I would be reluctant to get too complaicent about the "Free From Viruses" claim !! Recent news reports seem to suggest that this claim may no longer be true and it's not just referring to Proof Of Concept stuff either !!

Ken

Dude111

I agree..Especially with idiots like this around!

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9211659
http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2011/02/26/mac-os-x-backdoor-trojan-now-in-beta

PeakOutput

ZENER wrote: »

Oddly even with a new Mac the mouse still operates as a One-Button device !! One must change the characteristics of the Right-Click in System Preferences to get a Two - or more !! - Button mouse ! The Mouse is a multi buttoned unit but Apple in their wisdom default it to one button ?!

well thats simply not true.

how long have you been using a macintosh? dosnt sound like you know much about them

Skerries

Skerries wrote: »

right click this baby!

I did and opened it in a new tab :P

Also with OS X Lion the setup assistant will now support migration from a PC so documents etc! Take that!
Also Apple Retail released a new genius business model, You pay $499 a year and if one of your computers ****s out until that gets fixed you given a MacBook Pro 15 to get you through.

brianwalshcork

Deleted User wrote: »

I did and opened it in a new tab :P

You pay $499 a year and if one of your computers ****s out until that gets fixed you given a MacBook Pro 15 to get you through.

This is exactly the point... do you not see that this may be worthwhile for (well off) consumers... but for small business with anything more that two or three computers, they would be better off just buying a spare computer and leaving it sit there, it will pay for itself in 12 months. They are offering services that sound good on paper, but in reality, are unneccessary, bad value or plain useless when it comes to a small business.

The business model is flawed... small businesses don't care about 4 out of the 5 reasons mentioned in the link... until a valid business case is presented, there won't be any mass migration of to PC in the small business space.... in fact, I would say that the author has it backwards... small business will not move to mac until large businesses to so - why risk it.

Apple have, deservedly, done well in the home user market, but outside of their traditional areas in the business space, I can't see them gaining much ground in the short to middle term.... and I can't see how they will either.

brianwalshcork

brianwalshcork wrote: »

This is exactly the point... do you not see that this may be worthwhile for (well off) consumers... but for small business with anything more that two or three computers, they would be better off just buying a spare computer and leaving it sit there, it will pay for itself in 12 months. They are offering services that sound good on paper, but in reality, are unneccessary, bad value or plain useless when it comes to a small business.

The business model is flawed... small businesses don't care about 4 out of the 5 reasons mentioned in the link... until a valid business case is presented, there won't be any mass migration of to PC in the small business space.... in fact, I would say that the author has it backwards... small business will not move to mac until large businesses to so - why risk it.

Apple have, deservedly, done well in the home user market, but outside of their traditional areas in the business space, I can't see them gaining much ground in the short to middle term.... and I can't see how they will either.

I like how you didn't quote the migrate assistant bit :rolleyes: Which would be perfect to help migrate small businesses and the $499 is only for businesses and also includes call-outs from apple for tech support. Also lets face it the new specs of those Apple Laptops.. They are on par with a PC. A quad core i7, State of the art ati graphics, the beautiful design and big screen that has IPS technology.

Also the virus thing, the mac can't really get them AT ALL unless the user installs malicious software.

See this is how windows and unix works. On Windows once the user logs in as a administrator you got full control over the computer, you can modify the system folders and so on. When you install software you don't need to enter your password.

On a Mac when you login you have full control over your Home folder (Documents, Music, Movies and all) But if "the user" wants to install an application or modify the "System" or "Library" or "Private" or "etc" folder it requires them to use their password. In theory the furthest a hacker could get is to get inside the mac system try to place the file but then on the "users side" a big prompt will pop up saying "We require your administrator password to modify" and so on. That's how Macs are more secure. But if your torrenting hackers can put malicious code inside the installer because when it installs your illegal application it can install the malicious code.

PeakOutput

Deleted User wrote: »

I like how you didn't quote the migrate assistant bit :rolleyes: Which would be perfect to help migrate small businesses and the $499 is only for businesses and also includes call-outs from apple for tech support. Also lets face it the new specs of those Apple Laptops.. They are on par with a PC. A quad core i7, State of the art ati graphics, the beautiful design and big screen that has IPS technology.

Also the virus thing, the mac can't really get them AT ALL unless the user installs malicious software.

See this is how windows and unix works. On Windows once the user logs in as a administrator you got full control over the computer, you can modify the system folders and so on. When you install software you don't need to enter your password.

On a Mac when you login you have full control over your Home folder (Documents, Music, Movies and all) But if "the user" wants to install an application or modify the "System" or "Library" or "Private" or "etc" folder it requires them to use their password. In theory the furthest a hacker could get is to get inside the mac system try to place the file but then on the "users side" a big prompt will pop up saying "We require your administrator password to modify" and so on. That's how Macs are more secure. But if your torrenting hackers can put malicious code inside the installer because when it installs your illegal application it can install the malicious code.

if mac was as popular an operating system as windows there would be just as much viruses for it, its better fr us mac users for it to stay with a small market share

cornbb

PeakOutput wrote: »

if mac was as popular an operating system as windows there would be just as much viruses for it, its better fr us mac users for it to stay with a small market share

That doesn't add up. There are many thousands of viruses in the wild for PC, yet zero for the Mac. Even if the Mac user share is only 5% or whatever, the "security by obscurity" argument doesn't make sense as 5% still adds up to tens of millions of machines.

Source: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2009/09/02/why-are-there-no-mac-viruses/

OSI

OSI wrote: »

Sorry, but your post smacks of a poor understanding of how any, let alone the 2 you compare, OS actually works and the fundamentals of Virus'

That's actually the simplest way to explain how malicious code gets into a system. Yes what I forgot to add was that on windows you still need to download a file but that can be masked under a image or sound clip or video file, something that doesn't even need to be installed where as on a mac the only way to go to the root would be to use the admins password. To me it sounds like you haven't even tested what I said on a mac for proof. Think about it, on Windows XP for E.g when you go to the system folder it pops up something about this should remain hidden, are you sure you want to show these important files. I know in 7 a security alert pops up if something happens but it doesn't need your password so in most cases as you open a file the malicious code is on the headers to run first so that you think to open the image or whatever windows just needs your authentication to open the image preview or wmp.exe and so on.

For mac to even startup an applet "virus" you need to get in to the launch daemons which is protected by the unix kernel. So for mac the only way to do modifications would be to make the user enter their password.

PeakOutput

cornbb wrote: »

That doesn't add up. There are many thousands of viruses in the wild for PC, yet zero for the Mac. Even if the Mac user share is only 5% or whatever, the "security by obscurity" argument doesn't make sense as 5% still adds up to tens of millions of machines.

Source: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2009/09/02/why-are-there-no-mac-viruses/

first of all I think its fine in a tech article to use the definition of virus that he used I think its fair to say that any layman is refering to all the things that definition excludes when they are talking about viruses

second of all, there being none in the wild and there not being any ever are not the same thing. mac os has had security flaws and will again and apple are great at closing them up very quickly but that is not the same thing as the os being inherently impervious.

why would a hacker code a virus for tens of millions of machines that are in the vast minority of total machines in use, with (i would guess) a higher then average proportion of power users knowing that apple will patch the hole almost immediately when they could code one for the other 95% of machines in existence?

by definition a virus for the mac wont work on a pc so if an infected mac sends the virus to the next computer, via email or however and that computer is not also a mac the spread stops. there is no way i can think of that would get the hacker around this problem

slasher_65

PeakOutput wrote: »

well thats simply not true.

how long have you been using a macintosh? dosnt sound like you know much about them

Sorry, but I'm backing him on this one. By default (certainly on the Laptops), the trackpad operates as a one button device. You have to switch on right click, or use the cmd-click 'short'cut.

This is utterly ridiculous.

I'm not so sure about the magic mouse, I'm 95% sure that it comes out of the box with the right click enabled. But the vast majority of the computers that Apple sell right now are laptops, so I'm presuming that the poster is referring to a trackpad when he says mouse.

EI111

when are people going to stop saying macs are more intuitive
theyre not

Losty Dublin

EI111 wrote: »

when are people going to stop saying macs are more intuitive
theyre not

Wow, I never thought of that. You have convinced me :rolleyes:

PeakOutput

slasher_65 wrote: »

Sorry, but I'm backing him on this one. By default (certainly on the Laptops), the trackpad operates as a one button device. You have to switch on right click, or use the cmd-click 'short'cut.

This is utterly ridiculous.

I'm not so sure about the magic mouse, I'm 95% sure that it comes out of the box with the right click enabled. But the vast majority of the computers that Apple sell right now are laptops, so I'm presuming that the poster is referring to a trackpad when he says mouse.

i have the magic mouse, the magic track pad and a 3yr old macbook. i cant remember if i had to turn on two fingers on the trackpad for right click but im pretty sure i didnt. my mate just got a macbook pro and he isnt very computer literate so i think it just worked out of the box for him to but ill ask him. magic trackpad and the magic mouse has right and left click out of the box

ZENER

PeakOutput wrote: »

well thats simply not true.

how long have you been using a macintosh? dosnt sound like you know much about them

As I said in my original post - 17 years !! I installed an aluminium iMac with Snow Leopard on Thursday of this week with a Bluetooth Mighty Mouse. On startup the mouse behaved as a single button mouse until I changed it in System Preferences>Keyboard & Mouse . . .

So . . you were saying ?

Ken

Actually with all new apple laptops sold right click is enabled by default You tap two fingers on the trackpad

ZENER

Deleted User wrote: »

Actually with all new apple laptops sold right click is enabled by default You tap two fingers on the trackpad

Where did I mention trackpads ? By default a Mouse supplied with an Apple computer defaults to a single button operation until changed in System Preferences !

In previous versions of the Macbook Pro where there is an actual button visible these too were single button. On my Dual Core 1.83GHz MBP (Winter 2006 ?) there is only one button with no option to enable Right-Click though the two fingered tap does work as Right-Click on the trackpad.

Ken

PeakOutput

ZENER wrote: »

As I said in my original post - 17 years !! I installed an aluminium iMac with Snow Leopard on Thursday of this week with a Bluetooth Mighty Mouse. On startup the mouse behaved as a single button mouse until I changed it in System Preferences>Keyboard & Mouse . . .

So . . you were saying ?

Ken

so trackpads on laptops come set up with right click enabled by default(According to another poster here anyway)

magic trackpad comes with it enabled by default

and i dont remember changing anything on my imac when i got it new with the magic mouse but ill take your word for it that it needs to be done.

so whats the problem again?

edit; also i did mis read your orignal post my bad

ZENER

ZENER wrote: »

Where did I mention trackpads ? By default a Mouse supplied with an Apple computer defaults to a single button operation until changed in System Preferences !

In previous versions of the Macbook Pro where there is an actual button visible these too were single button. On my Dual Core 1.83GHz MBP (Winter 2006 ?) there is only one button with no option to enable Right-Click though the two fingered tap does work as Right-Click on the trackpad.

Ken

IF your model can do the scrolling it can definitely do the right clicking.

Sidenote: If you find pressing system preferences, Mouse stresses you out and is harder to do than solving algebra hold then ctrl then make a click. Happy?

As for the right clicking. It comes default at least in OS X Snow Leopard and The Dev build of Lion

MACHEAD

EI111 wrote: »

when are people going to stop saying macs are more intuitive
theyre not

Not exactly sure where your're comming from with that statement!
I work in a cross platform environment. I've been involved on and off with computers since before there was even a GUI to speak of.

I've seen most of the versions of windows from 3.1 to XP, and Mac OS from 7.6 to the present.
And believe me, Mac OS is waaaay more instictive & intuitive to learn/teach than windows (or 'windies' as they like to call it up here!).

CivilServant

Number 1 reason SMB will keep using PCs... Office.

Johnmb

CivilServant wrote: »

Number 1 reason SMB will keep using PCs... Office.

Office is available for Mac. And if the managers of SMBs had any sense, they'd be using OpenOffice.org in any case as it's a much better suite, operates cross platform, opens all formats (unlike MS Office) and is free!

maccored

i use a dell mouse on my mac and I can right click to my hearts content. on the mbp, you right click by using the multitouch pad.

Talisman

PeakOutput wrote: »

second of all, there being none in the wild and there not being any ever are not the same thing. mac os has had security flaws and will again and apple are great at closing them up very quickly but that is not the same thing as the os being inherently impervious.

why would a hacker code a virus for tens of millions of machines that are in the vast minority of total machines in use, with (i would guess) a higher then average proportion of power users knowing that apple will patch the hole almost immediately when they could code one for the other 95% of machines in existence?

Those statements are incorrect. Apple is very quick to fix security holes that affect the revenue stream, if it doesn't impact the cash cow it takes a while longer to fix.

For example if there is a known flaw in iOS which enables people to jailbreak their iPhone/iPad/iPod, Apple will fix it in the next release. However if the same flaw is to be found in OS X it can be months/several updates before the fix is released.

Another area where Apple falls down is the support for previous versions of the system. Patches for older versions of the operating system are very slow to appear even though a significant portion of users are on older systems. Not everybody can afford to be on the latest and greatest to stay up to date and 'secure'.

kippy

Top reason most businesses wont dump their PC for a Mac?
Cost.

Freddie59

ZENER wrote: »

Where did I mention trackpads ? By default a Mouse supplied with an Apple computer defaults to a single button operation until changed in System Preferences !

In previous versions of the Macbook Pro where there is an actual button visible these too were single button. On my Dual Core 1.83GHz MBP (Winter 2006 ?) there is only one button with no option to enable Right-Click though the two fingered tap does work as Right-Click on the trackpad.

Ken

Bought a 27" iMac in June 2010. This came enabled.:)

Talisman

Talisman wrote: »

Those statements are incorrect. Apple is very quick to fix security holes that affect the revenue stream, if it doesn't impact the cash cow it takes a while longer to fix.

For example if there is a known flaw in iOS which enables people to jailbreak their iPhone/iPad/iPod, Apple will fix it in the next release. However if the same flaw is to be found in OS X it can be months/several updates before the fix is released.

Another area where Apple falls down is the support for previous versions of the system. Patches for older versions of the operating system are very slow to appear even though a significant portion of users are on older systems. Not everybody can afford to be on the latest and greatest to stay up to date and 'secure'.

Yes if your using OS X 10.3 panther from 2003-2004 then your cheap. It still supports OS X Tiger from 2005. Tiger is the Windows XP of OS'es. Is microsoft still supporting that? Not to mention you don't need good hardware to upgrade. OS X from 2007 could run on a 2002 PowerBook G4 good! OS X currently (Snow leopard) can run on the first intel Macs in 2006.
Also Apple releases security updates for OS X if there's a leak, I'm not sure where you are getting your facts from because they are not released in OS X 10.6.x updates. Sometimes there called "Security update xx/xx/xx (Date)" For OS X Lion Apple hired a few hackers to find holes in the system. Does microsoft ever do that? See they are smart sons of guns!.

ingen

i dumped my windows pc's for macs, the core i7 chip is lightening fast, and runs a parallels win7 virtual machine, real fast, on an external monitor connected to a mac, its the same as sitting in front of the old windows 7 pc, with the benefit, of running it all from one computer (mac).


i like the part also that parallels lets you migrate your old windows pc, including all settings, data on it, and run it as a virtual machine on the mac.

office for mac 2011 runs great, so now i have all my windows based apps running perfectly on macs, so no more need for windows as my core OS anymore.

Talisman

Deleted User wrote: »

Yes if your using OS X 10.3 panther from 2003-2004 then your cheap. It still supports OS X Tiger from 2005. Tiger is the Windows XP of OS'es. Is microsoft still supporting that? Not to mention you don't need good hardware to upgrade.

Windows XP was released in December 2001, it's end of life is April 2014. That's when Microsoft will stop providing software fixes for the OS.

OS X 10.4 Tiger was released in April 2005. The last software update for Tiger was 10.4.11, released on 14 November, 2007. The last security update for 10.4.x was 10 September, 2009. Since then the only Apple updates for that particular system have been for iTunes and Safari. How you can you seriously suggest Apple are still supporting Tiger?

OS X from 2007 could run on a 2002 PowerBook G4 good! OS X currently (Snow leopard) can run on the first intel Macs in 2006.
Also Apple releases security updates for OS X if there's a leak, I'm not sure where you are getting your facts from because they are not released in OS X 10.6.x updates. Sometimes there called "Security update xx/xx/xx (Date)" For OS X Lion Apple hired a few hackers to find holes in the system. Does microsoft ever do that? See they are smart sons of guns!.

Apple have been very lax about security in the past but they are improving.

In August 2008, Wired revealed a security hole that allowed a user to access the favorites, address book and mail system on a password protected iPhone. Apple saw it as a minor issue and fixed the issue in October.

In August 2010, Apple were made aware of a font exploit that could be used to run rogue code on iOS and also OS X. The exploit was being used to jailbreak the iPhone, Apple patched iOS to fix the exploit that month, the security firm that brought it to Apple's attention were told that OS X would be patched in October. In November, the security firm went public about the exploit as Apple still hadn't patched it.

Microsoft have been using security firms and hackers for hardening software since the 1990s. It's a new thing for Apple and they're happy to tell the world.

It will be interesting to see how they measure up in CanSecWest this year and how quickly Apple patch any reported security flaws found.

Talisman

Talisman wrote: »

Windows XP was released in December 2001, it's end of life is April 2014. That's when Microsoft will stop providing software fixes for the OS.

OS X 10.4 Tiger was released in April 2005. The last software update for Tiger was 10.4.11, released on 14 November, 2007. The last security update for 10.4.x was 10 September, 2009. Since then the only Apple updates for that particular system have been for iTunes and Safari. How you can you seriously suggest Apple are still supporting Tiger?

Apple have been very lax about security in the past but they are improving.

In August 2008, Wired revealed a security hole that allowed a user to access the favorites, address book and mail system on a password protected iPhone. Apple saw it as a minor issue and fixed the issue in October.

In August 2010, Apple were made aware of a font exploit that could be used to run rogue code on iOS and also OS X. The exploit was being used to jailbreak the iPhone, Apple patched iOS to fix the exploit that month, the security firm that brought it to Apple's attention were told that OS X would be patched in October. In November, the security firm went public about the exploit as Apple still hadn't patched it.

Microsoft have been using security firms and hackers for hardening software since the 1990s. It's a new thing for Apple and they're happy to tell the world.

It will be interesting to see how they measure up in CanSecWest this year and how quickly Apple patch any reported security flaws found.

2008. The 2nd iPhone. Their 2nd ever smartphone having to rework OS X on it. OH look Windows phone 7. And Microsoft never had any problems. Like that time when they accidentally released a software updated that bricked pretty much every Samsung windows phone in the universe. And you would think for a company who had windows phone 1 + 2 and all the way to 6.5 could have made sure on their first high profile phone nothing screwed up.

Oh and eh... http://www.coveringweb.com/2010/08/mac-os-x-gets-pdf-exploit-fix-in.html
http://www.applesheet.com/apple-mac-os-x-security-update-patches-pdf-exploit/2856/

That's from august 2010. You haven't read the Software upgrades. The 10.6.x and so on.

Yes I concede that perhaps they stopped supporting Tiger but it's still a good Operating system and is still compatible with most software.
Not to mention the world is still using XP probably because their hardware isn't good enough to either A) support Windows 7 or They don't know which version they need. Home premium, Sounds like a premium product. Professional sounds like something the cool kid would use. Ultimates a ultimate product. I'm not going to even talk about how stupid 7 Home basic is. And that whole stupid licensing thing. What ever happened to a "Full OS" usable on 5 computers for $129 or one licence for $29

kippy

Typically this has turned into a complete fanboi fest.

Talisman

kippy wrote: »

Typically this has turned into a complete fanboi fest.

That wasn't my intention when I replied to the thread.

Talisman

Deleted User wrote: »

Oh and eh... http://www.coveringweb.com/2010/08/mac-os-x-gets-pdf-exploit-fix-in.html
http://www.applesheet.com/apple-mac-os-x-security-update-patches-pdf-exploit/2856/

That's from august 2010. You haven't read the Software upgrades. The 10.6.x and so on.

The issue I was referring to was patched in the updates released on November 11th.

Yes I concede that perhaps they stopped supporting Tiger but it's still a good Operating system and is still compatible with most software.
Not to mention the world is still using XP probably because their hardware isn't good enough to either A) support Windows 7 or They don't know which version they need. Home premium, Sounds like a premium product. Professional sounds like something the cool kid would use. Ultimates a ultimate product. I'm not going to even talk about how stupid 7 Home basic is. And that whole stupid licensing thing. What ever happened to a "Full OS" usable on 5 computers for $129 or one licence for $29

Perhaps?

It's all well and good saying the OS only costs $129, but then you have also got to factor in the hidden costs of upgrading the software that a business needs in order to operate. For example, when Apple released Leopard, they changed the font support - it may have seemed like a nothing issue for ordinary joes but for the likes of print houses it was a major issue. Little/no support was provided by Apple to resolve such issues, Apple support representatives told a client of mine "Could you not just buy new fonts?". Font libraries cost an absolute fortune to buy, not to mention fonts that were bought years ago were not always available in the Leopard friendly format. Similarly Rosetta is being dropped from Lion so any user/business that relies on an old piece of software that runs on an 'old' architecture is at the end of the line as far as Apple are concerned.

BostonB

OSX sits on UNIX. Unix is inherently more secure.

Mac Office/Open Office. Neither has VBA. Many companies will have a load of existing VBA code that they won't move.

Most companies don't have any skillset in Mac OS. or development on same.

Johnmb

BostonB wrote: »

OSX sits on UNIX. Unix is inherently more secure.

Mac Office/Open Office. Neither has VBA. Many companies will have a load of existing VBA code that they won't move.

Most companies don't have any skillset in Mac OS. or development on same.

The thread is about small businesses, most of which don't have a skillset in Windows either, they just use the computers and buy software for them, they don't do any development for them. As for VBA, most small businesses wouldn't even know what that was, and as far as I know Mac Office does support it now (at least in part), it was only the 2008 version that didn't. For using spreadsheets and word processing, OpenOffice can do everything that 99.9% of small businesses would need, and can do it just as well as, if not better than, MS Office, and if they are a very technical business, the OO spreadsheet applications are actually capable of much more than Excel.

BostonB

My experience is that they do, theres always one or two power user, who does spreadsheet macros or forms in Access and coded macros behind them. Sometimes this stuff has been added to over years. Many 3rd party apps for excel or access are Windows only.

In general terms, if there was no barrier real or imagined, they'd all switch. But they don't. So arguing there is no barrier is kinda missing the point.

BostonB

These top five reasons could simply the author of the book opinion not based on any stats. Is it based on anything?

"Mac Migration: The Small Business Guide to Switching to the Mac"

it could be simply headline generating to promote his book.

Johnmb

The barrier is mainly perception, Mac OSX can do anything needed by most businesses (Small or otherwise), but people think they need Windows. In some cases they do, e.g. we use Sage accounting and payroll software, so I need to run Windows as a virtual machine in work for them, and Bank of Ireland's Business On-Line service is pathetic and only works with Internet Explorer. But, I don't use, nor need, MS Office. And if it wasn't for BOI, I doubt I'd be using Sage, there are Mac compatible accounting packages (I'd have to check about Irish payroll packages). The French civil service all use OpenOffice don't they? That would help save some money for the Irish civil service, switch to the free software suite, and then more and more small businesses would make the switch too.

BostonB

How does the civil service fit under the banner of small business?

Johnmb

BostonB wrote: »

How does the civil service fit under the banner of small business?

Like I said, the main thing stopping most small businesses from looking into using something other than Windows PCs and MS Office is perception. If the civil service were to switch, that would end a lot of the perceptions. Especially when you consider that the free suite can open both open standards and Office documents, but Office can't open documents saved in the open standards! (At least it couldn't, unless MS have finally decided to provide this basic service for the money they get)

BostonB

These are switching back....

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=70821573&postcount=1

http://www.microsoft.com/ireland/casestudies/content/beaumonthospital.html

kippy

Johnmb wrote: »

Like I said, the main thing stopping most small businesses from looking into using something other than Windows PCs and MS Office is perception. If the civil service were to switch, that would end a lot of the perceptions. Especially when you consider that the free suite can open both open standards and Office documents, but Office can't open documents saved in the open standards! (At least it couldn't, unless MS have finally decided to provide this basic service for the money they get)

Perception is a part of it but the bigger part is down to cost. Plain and simple.

BostonB

Have to say I could count on one hand the number of times I'd had to open a open document in a work scenario in 10yrs. Its just not an issue for most people. Whereas opening MS documents of 2007+ is a common one.

Johnmb

kippy wrote: »

Perception is a part of it but the bigger part is down to cost. Plain and simple.

Cost is free, as far as the OpenOffice.org suite is concerned. As far as PC v Mac is concerned, it depends on what the business is buying. Apple don't make cheap computers, so if that's what the business wants, PC is the only way to go. But if they are buying top of the range computers, Apple can actually be cheaper. At least it was for me when I was pricing the options between Apple and Dell, actually comparing like with like (and that was taking into account the fact that I had to buy a Windows 7 licence and Parallels as well for the Mac option!)

Johnmb

BostonB wrote: »

Have to say I could count on one hand the number of times I'd had to open a open document in a work scenario in 10yrs. Its just not an issue for most people. Whereas opening MS documents of 2007+ is a common one.

That's due to the perception that businesses need MS Office, most documents are created there. If people switched, they could still view MS Office documents, but they'd be creating documents using open standards (unless they chose to specifically save it as a MS Office document for some slow to adapt colleague, but a link to OpenOffice.org on the email with the attachment would be much better)