Soon after Michele Goins became chief information officer at Juniper Networks (JNPR) in February, she decided to respond to the growing chorus of Mac lovers among the networking company's 6,100 employees. For years, many had used Apple's (AAPL) computers at home and clamored for them in the office as well. So she launched a test, letting 600 Juniper staffers use Macs instead of the standard-issue PCs that run Microsoft's (MSFT) Windows operating system. As long as the extra support costs aren't too high, she plans to open the floodgates. "If we opened it up today, I think 25% of our employees would choose Macs," she says.
I think the 25% estimate is low. People who have changed to Mac's are really enjoying the experience. There is the initial honeymoon period where it's more emotional than rational, but that no longer ends in divorce. People are genuinely finding OS/X easier to use, stable and pretty.
Millions of consumers are seeing the Mac in a new light. Once an object of devotion for students and artists, the Mac is becoming the first choice of many. Surging demand for the machines led Apple to predict revenues will rise 33% in the second quarter, to $7.2 billion, even in the face of an economic slowdown.
We are seeing this as well. We have just completed a weekend long, 30 workstation plus an XServe deployment in a design department. As a result of the process, two people who normally use Windows bought Macs, and a internal support technician on hand to help with IT issues was blown away at the ease of the deployment.
Mac fanboys have been singing Apple's praises for years, of course. But now the call is coming from mainstream users, people who may have started off with an iPod, then bought a Mac at home and no longer want a "Windows-by-day, Mac-by-night" existence. At Sunnyvale (Calif.)-based Juniper, CEO Scott Kriens is one of the people with a new MacBook laptop. "Everybody told me I should get one," he says. "It's not anything to do with negative perceptions about Microsoft. It's just that Macs are cool." IBM (IBM) and Cisco Systems (CSCO) are running similar tests on whether to let Macs into the office. Google (GOOG) has allowed employees pick their machine of choice for years.
Others are sure to follow suit. Mark Slaga, chief information officer of Dimension Data , a large computer services firm based in suburban Johannesburg, says he has received 25 e-mails recently from employees who want permission to use Macs at work. So far he has refused, because he doesn't want to hire people to provide Mac tech support, but "it'll happen someday," he concedes. "Steve Jobs doesn't need a sales force because he already has one: employees like the ones in my company."
If you have not yet tried a Mac, maybe it's time you considered doing so. From the desktop to the server, you will find a product that has a lower TCO then you expected. Macs are more stable, have less security and virus issues, enjoy a longer effective life span and they are ready for the Enterprise. Each of these alone would be reason enough to consider a switch to Macs. Put them together, factor in the nervousness associated with Vista and the end-of-life of XP and I think a serious case can be made for looking in Apple's direction.
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