Apple in the Enterprise

I use both a Mac and a Windows machine on my desktop to do my work. While I really like Mac OS X and enjoy features like native Exchange support in Snow Leopard, Windows really is better suited for use in enterprise environments. That's not because Windows is inherently superior to OS X, but because Microsoft does a much better job at addressing the needs of corporate IT decision makers.

The key difference is that Microsoft publicizes ship dates for new releases of Windows and other offerings well in advance, allowing developers lots of time to update their software in time for the release. Apple, on the other hand, is much more secretive about its plans, resulting in some unwelcome surprises at times. For example, Snow Leopard shipped early - a nice surprise for those of us that were looking to get our hands on the OS as soon as possible, but a real problem for corporate decision makers that must ensure that any new OS will fully support existing applications on which users rely.

I believe the key difference really just boils down to the corporate culture of Apple and Steve Jobs. Mr. Jobs is quite secretive by nature and this extends to the way that product releases are handled. While this creates a mystique that can be useful in the consumer marketing world, it just doesn't work in the enterprise.

Given that any Intel-based Mac can run Windows and Mac OS X, Macs offer a key advantage for use in the enterprise. I believe that if Apple took a page from Microsoft's playbook and was much more public about its product releases, allowing developers more information and more time to update their software, Apple could make a bigger dent in the enterprise. Until that happens, Macs will be relegated to a very minor role in the large business market.