A couple of current articles on the Mac Web examine the issue of PC vs. Mac in total cost of ownership.

MacCentral's Dennis Sellers quotes Gary Canterbury, the director of technology for the eighth largest school district in Ohio, which runs 4,400 Macs and 400 Wintel boxes.

"The TOC (total operating cost) for the Wintel machines amounts to $253.86 per year, every year until it is retired," Canterbury told Sellers. "The Macs run us $53.25 per year. Quite a difference and one our board and parents heard loud and clear."

Lynda Nichol, director of technology for cross-platform Shawnee Public Schools in Shawnee, OK, is also cited saying: "The cost of maintaining the PCs is one-third more than maintaining the Macs."

Mr. Sellers quotes Dean F. Sutherland of the Carnegie-Mellon University Computer Science department saying that their "desperately overloaded facilities staff" includes only one Mac expert who is currently cross-training in Windows support the University's approximately 500 Macs don't have enough problems to keep him busy full time. "Overall, the Macs are the lowest maintenance, most trouble free machines in the department," affirmed Sutherland

Many more examples are cited in this article, which is the first of a series. Check it out at:
http://www.maccentral.com/news/0004/24.dual.shtml

Over at MacWeek, in his "Analysis: Avoiding the standardization blues," network administrator John C. Welch debunks the notion that it makes sense for IT departments to get rid of all their Macs and standardize on one platform.

As a, I am often asked, "What's the best computer?" But what's really being asked--especially if the questioner has a title like "CEO"--is, "What should we standardize on?"

"When you have a network full of Macs that's running smoothly, and users who are getting their jobs done, how do you point out that standardization has more to do with your work than your hardware?" askes Mr. Weich, who goes on to offer practical advice on how to counter the anti-Mac notions and prejudices of the ignorami.

And if that doesn't work, says Weich "don't be afraid to point out the costs of standardization. Forcing users to switch platforms is expensive.... Many folks who push for a "Mac dump" imagine replacing them with $400 computers, and when they see the real numbers, they're often willing to rethink the idea. Hiring two or three extra full-time IS people just to support an all-Windows network is a cost that won't go away, and probably wasn't considered in the initial decision."

None of this is new. Study upon study over the years have shown that the total cost of ownership, user/worker satisfaction and productivity facilitated by the Macintosh leaves the cranky, clunky Windows platform eating dust.

Commenting on the recent release of Windows 2000, one Canadian IT manager said: "Everyone hates Windows, but everyone keeps on using it."

Why? Are these people stupid? Just asking.

Charles W. Moore

.

October 14, 2008