Apple's OS Edge Is a Threat to Microsoft

BusinessWeek ^ | 04/11/2008 | by Gary Morgenthaler

[Swordmaker]

A recent upgrade to the Mac operating system moves Apple closer to challenging Microsoft for overall computing dominance, even in the corporate market

The 20-year death grip that Microsoft has held on the core of computing is finally weakening—pried loose with just two fingers. With one finger you press "Control" and with the other you press "right arrow." Instantly you switch from a Macintosh operating system (OS) to a Microsoft Windows OS. Then, with another two-finger press, you switch back again. So as you edit family pictures, you might use Mac's iPhoto. And when you want to access your corporate e-mail, you can switch back instantly to Microsoft Exchange.

This easy toggling on an Apple computer, enabled by a feature called Spaces, was but an interesting side note to last fall's upgrade of the Mac OS. But coupled with other recent developments, the stars are aligning in a very intriguing pattern. Apple's (AAPL) recent release of a tool kit for programmers to write applications for the iPhone will be followed by the June launch of iPhone 2.0, a software upgrade geared toward business users.

Taken together, these seemingly unrelated moves are taking the outline of a full-fledged strategy. Windows users, in the very near future, will be free to switch to Apple computers and mobile devices, drawn by a widening array of Mac software, without suffering the pain of giving up critical Windows-based applications right away. The easy virtualization of two radically different operating systems on a single desktop paves a classic migration path. Business users will be tempted. Apple is positioning itself to challenge Microsoft for overall computing dominance—even in the corporate realm.

[tacticalogic]

But it IS possible to have a fully functioning 100-unit Windows network without domain controllers and such and have no issues or problems.

Possible, but I wouldn't bet on it staying that way for too long. Particularly if it's connected to the internet.

[Spktyr]

Which means that the press release announcing MS’ acquisition of Parallels is probably due out Friday, right? :D

[discostu]

Over and above cash settlement.

Of course the MS-Apple suit had been over for 4 years at the time, so no the buy was not related to any suit.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"Macs are great machines but their initial high price can be a bit of a turnoff."

Ah, I was waiting for someone to bring up the Mac-is-costly canard.

Not the case anymore. Sony's answer to the Macbook Air costs more, for example. The Mac Mini is a flamin' bargain at $600. And so on. You have to compare the Macs with other premium brands, not the third-tier stuff you see in the back pages of PC Magazine. And what about the iPhone? All that functionality for $400, and it fits in your pocket. All the hoo-hah in the press lately about UMPCs like the Eee and Cloudbook, yet here's something with just as much functionality and a way-cooler user interface, with four to eight times the storage capacity, and it's a phone too.

[tacticalogic]

Well, in my field experience, it *usually* starts going weird around 75 units or so,

How many units do you figure before it starts going weird in a hybrid, unmanaged Windows/Mac network?

[Spktyr]

Wrong suit. You’re thinking Apple v. Microsoft from 88-94.

The settlement was for Apple v. Intel/Microsoft/SF Canyon and put to rest all prior claims. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc._litigation#Apple_v._Microsoft.2C_Intel.2C_and_San_Francisco_Canyon_Company

“In 1995 Apple added Microsoft and Intel to an existing lawsuit against the San Francisco Canyon Company, alleging that Microsoft and Intel knowingly used the software company to aid them in stealing several thousand lines of Apple’s QuickTime code in an effort to improve the performance of Video for Windows.[13][14][15][16] After a threat to withdraw support for Office for Mac,[17][18] this lawsuit was ultimately settled in 1997, along with all lingering issues from the “Look & Feel” lawsuit. Apple agreed to make Internet Explorer the default browser over Netscape, and Microsoft agreed to continue developing Office and other software for the Mac for the next 5 years, and purchase US$150 million of non-voting Apple stock.[9][10]”

[Swordmaker]

Somehow the idea that a company of sufficient size to need 50-100 workstations doesn’t need any kind of domain security to control data access and provide an audit trail doesn’t sound right. Either that, or I’m used to dealing with a lot more sensitive data than your customers.

That's where they are starting to realize that the need something they don't have...

[Spktyr]

Well, I’ve seen unmanaged *250* unit Mac networks running fine, so I think we can safely assume the Macs won’t be part of the problem.

[discostu]

Well there you go. I’m still not seeing any need for MS to face save, they made a bunch of money on the deal and the agreement to keep making Office for Mac probably saved Mac.

[Spktyr]

MS was on their way to losing when they negotiated the settlement. If it had been the other way around, Apple would have had to pay, not just make IE the default browser.

[tacticalogic]

Well, I’ve seen unmanaged *250* unit Mac networks running fine, so I think we can safely assume the Macs won’t be part of the problem.

Integration problems are always the "other guys" fault.

[discostu]

Maybe maybe not. MS had been threatening to pull off the platform, which would have hurt Mac immensely. MS’s agreement to keep making Office for Mac didn’t really cost MS anything, and helped Mac a lot, then MS turns around a makes a tasty profit on the stock. If what MS got out of that is for being on their way to losing I’d kill to lose some suits like that.

[Locomotive Breath]

Yep.

[mamelukesabre]

Seems like I read somewhere that either MS or google was working on a future operating system that would not be installed on your computer(or maybe partially installed on your computer), it would be on the internet somewhere and your computer wouldn’t function without highspeed internet connection.

What ever happened to that? Or do I have it completely wrong? Personally, I hope it never happens.

[jwparkerjr]

I think you have a better understanding of those early years that I do! Thank you for the corrections, and especially making them in such a nice way! Sorry for the mis-information. As I said, that was simply how I remembered it from my job at a Computerland. I was wrong in a several things. What can I say. Brain fade, it’s my cross to bear. I ended up programming for the AlphaMicro family of multi-user, multi-tasking machines. Boy is my face red. Part of it’s due to the fact I spend the entire day outside at Sun ‘n Fun shooting pictures for the people who sponsor it, but much of the red is from being so wrong. Thanks again for the interesting information. It’s slowly coming back to me.

[discostu]

Thin client keeps coming back as a rumor periodically. But the punch line is think client blows, there’s a reason the computing world left thin client behind, and no matter what they call it it’s still thin client.

[antiRepublicrat]

Apple didn’t use some of that seed money from Microsoft offered in the late 1990’s to come up with better keyboards such as Microsoft’s excellent split-key ergonomic keyboards.

The money thing has already been shown false. Aside from that, as a touch typist I can't stand the split-key "ergonomic" keyboards. I wasn't too sure about Apple's aluminum keyboards at first, but I have been pleasantly surprised. Not only is it nice to type on, but Apple brought that old beloved solid feel back to OEM keyboards that had been missing for so long.

[antiRepublicrat]

Do the ones that have a Windows domain tend to have more machines and users than the one's who don't?

That would be a waste of money. More than a few users and MS screws you on the licensing. Even getting the OEM discount price at Dell when you buy a server it's $900 for 5 clients, $3,700 for 25 clients. For OS X it's $500 for 10 clients, $1,000 for unlimited clients (retail, not when purchased with hardware). Linux is free, unless you pay for support.

It's not hard to run 50 users on a modern high-speed 1U these days, and with Windows the licenses may end up costing you a large percentage of your total purchase price.

[antiRepublicrat]

How many computers do you consider a "large" network?

For me that means over 10,000 users.

[tacticalogic]

I can’t decide if it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread, or just a Windows workstation with a Mac added to it’s already impressive collection of bloatware.