Mac desktops are 'smarter money,' says CIO

ZDNet Tags:








• Desktops,
• Linux,
• Windows Vista,
• Mac OS,
• Microsoft
• Apple

Property asset management company Capital & Regional is
evaluating Linux desktops and Apple Macs as a way to reduce its
dependency on Microsoft.

While the U.K. company has about
700 PC users and currently runs Windows XP Pro and Office XP Pro, Chief
Information Officer Richard Snooks has criticized Microsoft's
aggressive licensing policies.

"We are feeling the pinch of the aggressive revenue targets
of Microsoft," Snooks said. "We are asking ourselves, 'Are they
(Microsoft) fit for our business?'"

In particular, Snooks isn't convinced by the arguments for
upgrading to Microsoft's latest Windows operating system, Vista, and is
actively looking at alternatives, including a small trial of a Suse
Linux desktop inside the IT department.

"I feel we are being railroaded, and the market generally
forced (us) into a corner or even a cul-de-sac. In a free market, we
have made Microsoft dominant, and now we have the collective
responsibility to reverse this situation to re-establish balance and
competition. If I am being driven down the Vista route, then an Apple Mac is smarter money and cheaper."

Snooks said the browser-based ATMs at Capital & Regional's shopping
outlets could potentially run on Suse Linux with a Firefox browser,
while Apple Macs may be a better alternative to Windows PCs.

A Microsoft representative said the company offers a range of licensing
agreements for different business needs and cited security and energy
efficiency as benefits of moving to Vista.

"Vista is the most secure, reliable and flexible OS
available from Microsoft, and is easy and cost-effective to deploy and
maintain," she said. "The reduced complexity facilitates maintenance
and support, which allows IT management time to be deployed more
effectively elsewhere, and the in-depth security ensures protection of
sensitive data at all times."

Andy McCue of Silicon.com reported from London.

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