IBMers Prefer Macs?

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#1 Post by **Harryc** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 4:35 pm

#2 Post by **jdhurst** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 4:50 pm

I don't make anything out of it.

People need to use what fits them best. So far, 90 percent of users (or more) continue to use Windows.

I think there are several reasons for this:

1. For business and professional users, the range of software available is much greater for Windows. So much so, in fact, that critical software I need is not available on a non-Windows platform.

2. Contrary to a vocal minority opinion, Windows NT-based machines (since 1999) are rock solid and can run for years 24x7 on one build. The "reliabilty" argument is tired and worn out. Same goes for security. One guy in a security forum I belong to hacked into a new MAC in 20 minutes. Security breaches are caused mostly by social engineering exploits rather than specialized skill. Given the range of good security software out there, that argument is tired and worn out as well.

3. User experience is in the mind of the beholder. I am doing this on a Vista machine. I had to rip the very guts out of Vista to make it do what I want done and not what someone else thinks is cool. But then, someone else may very well like the cool Vista features and the cool MAC features. Pepople need to use what they like.

.. JDH

#3 Post by **rkawakami** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:02 pm

One would think that if IBM still owned their own PC division that they were simply looking at the competition in order to improve their own products. This just seems to be a case of evaluating whatever is currently available that might allow their workers to do their jobs easier (or better).

qviri · #4 Post by **qviri** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:29 pm

24 people tried them out so far? IBM's planning to purchase 100 more? How many employees does IBM have, again?

#5 Post by **erik** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:40 pm

The documents also revealed that of the 24 people asked to test the MacBook Pro, 22 said it offered a "better or best experience" in comparrison to the ThinkPad notebooks currently being used at the company. Ironically, IBM used to make ThinkPads before it sold its PC division in 2005.

they don't specify whether the experience itself was positive because of the hardware or because of the operating system. had they loaded OSX on an X300 and did the same survey, it would likely have a different outcome.

we also don't know the technical backgrounds of the 24 persons polled. users less familiar with computers would likely prefer OSX because it's easier to use. power users (like most of us here) would be more likely to prefer windows.

if apple licensed and supported OSX for use on PCs, we'd probably see a marked decrease in mac vs. PC debates and apple would probably see a marked decrease in hardware sales. that's what i make of it.

#6 Post by **Harryc** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:42 pm

... had they loaded OSX on an X300

Last I checked that is illegal

I consider myself a power user, and I like OSX just fine...Linux too. But I spend most of my time in XP because it is just better. From a hardware perspective, if you have ever taken a Macbook Pro completely apart and put it back together again (I have) you'd understand why Thinkpads are just engineered better. Ask Bill what he had to go through to switch out a hard drive in the Macbook Pro I sold him

. Great machines, but a real pain in the [censored] to work on. It's like working on the jewel case from hell...can't even see some of the screws they are so small.

#7 Post by **Kyocera** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:58 pm

I would venture to say that a good percentage of corporate user's in large enterprises would say something like this. I would guess a similar group percentage would say they like dell's, HP's, etc. People aren't satisfied with what an employer issues them to use.

I hear people all day long say thinkpads are junk because they can't get Word or Outlook to work correctly

. They know nothing of hardware vs OS, etc.

basketb · #8 Post by **basketb** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 12:38 am

I wouldn't make anything out of the article either. Since IBM is no longer in the laptop business as a hardware vendor (though they still provide the service), there is no longer any internal pressure to use its own products (if they need to buy new machines it is now a real expense). Thus they can venture out and explore other makes as well. I wouldn't be surprised if they also tested Dell, HP, etc.
A few IBM executives are actually using Macs and blog about it. See here http://jhingran.typepad.com/anant_jhing ... our-i.html and here http://www.sutor.com/newsite/blog-open/?cat=138 for examples.
On the other hand, I know of IBM competitors (in the software business) that wouldn't buy Thinkpads when they were still made by IBM (only Dell and HP). But now you see their employees with Thinkpads.

teetee · #9 Post by **teetee** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 9:12 am

After reading the article from OP's link and the one below (cloud computing article from howstuffworks.) I have a reason to believe IBM are researching the front-end choices for their blue cloud back-end.

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/googl ... mputer.htm

IBMers Prefer Macs?

IBMers Prefer Macs?

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