For all the chatter about how the Mac has suddenly emerged as more than just a well-design niche product as more people jump off the Windows bandwagon, an interesting issue is whether the Mac will be embraced by the corporate market. Some analysts suggest the Mac’s stability, elegant design and Intel architecture are making the Mac an easier choice for CIOs, who have used the “No one’s been fired for buying Microsoft (and, for that matter, HP, IBM and Dell)” for many years.
As much as consumers love the Mac because it’s cool, its chances of taking significant market share in the corporate marketplace are, at best, slim. For one, Macs are more expensive to buy at a time when Windows-powered desktops are going for $400 a pop and laptops can be had for as little as $600. Using a Mac is like learning a different language in many ways to the cost for many companies (retraining, short-term productivity loss) can be a deterent. Then, there’s the software issue as Microsoft pushes its Windows-powered products first.
In some ways, the Mac’s biggest advantage and perhaps most appealing sales tool for business and consumers is Vista’s lack of sizzle. Other than looking prettier (and some better, but annoying security features) Vista doesn’t scream “You need to upgrade now!”. For many people Vista is a non-event, and this lack of excitement choudl provide Mac and Linux with a window of opportunity in places where they have yet to have much traction yet.
