Macs in the Enterprise

5 Business Essentials for 'The Switch'

- 2008.06.06 - Tip Jar

Many small businesses are interested in making "The Switch" - taking the plunge and investing in Apple hardware. If you find yourself in that situation, there are some simple tools that you can invest in (sometimes requiring nothing more than an investment of your time) that will help make that switch a successful one.

1. Microsoft Office 2008

You've decided to go Apple, so your gut is to go all the way and throw off the Microsoft shackles for good. Unfortunately, that's not necessarily the best way to make your transition go well. Even given the other alternatives, if you're in a business that requires 100% compatibility with people outside of your office, it's worth the investment to purchase the latest offering from Microsoft.

Yes, you can try to use OpenOffice.org or NeoOffice - or try to stay 100% Apple by investing in iWork '08 - but you're sacrificing the guarantee of 100% fidelity with Windows-only shops. In addition, while the program is different than the Windows equivalent, it is similar enough to smooth the transition for your employees with as little downtime for training as possible.

2. Mozilla Firefox

Chances are you're already using Firefox on your Windows machine. So, while Safari and Camino are excellent and very speedy browsers, why change again? If you fit this mold, you'll find even more savings in retraining time, and you'll be much more confident that every web-based application you had been using (other than badly designed IE/ActiveX only websites) will work as well.

Again, there is strength in the familiar.

3. A Generic PC Mouse

Some people absolutely adore the mouse that comes with the Mac. It's very stylish, I will grant you. But after years of using a mouse with a scroll wheel, the scroll ball will feel foreign and unpleasant to many.

As such, I would either repurpose the mice from the PCs that you're replacing (if they have USB, are new enough, and are in good condition) or invest a few bucks in a new USB mouse for your new computer. Between the presence of a second mouse button (yes, I know, there are ways to right-click with the Mighty Mouse) and the familiarity of the scroll wheel, you'll see a huge payoff.

That said, if you're giving out MacBooks, let them have some time with the trackpad as well. Once you've acclimatized yourself to two finger scrolling, horizontally and vertically, you'll wonder why it's not standard on all notebooks with touchpads.

4. Parallels/Fusion/VirtualBox

Some applications just don't exist for the Mac yet. And others do but are poor knockoffs of the Windows equivalent. They will very likely get better, now that Macs are surging into greater popularity, and if they don't (and maybe even if they do), someone will write something better eventually.

Until then, however, you can bring Windows apps into your new Mac office with virtualization. Some programs will even let you clone the entire hard drive from the PC that you're replacing, so it's like your employees never really have to let go. For some, this will be a welcome insurance program, a "just in case" fallback in times of emergency. For others, it may be too much of a crutch, requiring a slow weaning process.

Before you leap into virtualization, I recommend looking at what is available in terms of similar applications - you may be surprised to find that while there isn't a perfect clone of the Windows program you're using, there is a program that works better for your business flow.

5. The Apple Store

There are enough subtle differences between the Mac and Windows that, depending on the desires of your staff and their relative experience levels, your decision on whether or not to invest in some professional training might be make-or-break for your Mac experiment. Apple offers excellent training guides, online video courses, and even hands-on courses at their stores. Getting everyone off on the right foot, understanding the differences from Windows from the very beginning, will pay off immensely.

And your Apple Store either has someone on-site all the time who can help with the transition for small business or can put you in touch with an Apple professional. Having someone who has either done this sort of thing before - or at least can help to make you aware of some of the "gotchas" - can really ease your transition and maintain your peace of mind. And if you have investors who are leery of taking the plunge, these are exactly the folks you want to have, holding their hands.

Join us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.

Recent Macs in the Enterprise Columns

Debunking Mac Myths Is Not the Way to Get Apple in the Enterprise, 2008.08.06. There are other factors at work that keep those with vested interests on the Windows platform. Mythbusting won't change their minds.
How to upgrade your eMac without cracking the case, 2008.07.14. Some people like to replace the components inside their computers, but with FireWire and USB 2.0, Apple has made it easy to upgrade using external drives.
Turn your old Mac into a web server with Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP, 2008.07.09. Step-by-step instructions for installing and configuring Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP on an older Mac.
More in the Macs in the Enterprise index.

Links for the Day

Mac of the Day: Mac IIfx, introduced 1990.03.19. This 'wicked fast' 40 MHz Mac trumped the 33 MHz DOS world.
February 14 in LEM history: 98: A perfect compact Mac - 00: Extended computer warranties worth the cost? - Making your PC work with your Mac - 01: Customize Microsoft Word - 02: Quadra revives a passion for computing - 03: Real world performance - DIY Pismo screen replacement - Best Mac for writing - 03: Fastest browser on the Mac - 06: 15" MacBook Pro - Impressions of a newly acquired Lisa - Finding and using free WiFi - Apple should liberate OS 9 - 07: New Mac mini cheaper than upgrading a Power Mac - 08: Falling in love with OS X
Support Low End Mac

Recent Deals

About LEM Support Usage Privacy Contact

Low End Mac is an independent publication and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc. Entire Low End Mac website copyright ©1997-2012 by Cobweb Publishing, Inc. unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, iPad iPhone, iMac, iPod, MacBook, MagSafe, Mac Pro, Apple TV, and AirPort are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks and are hereby acknowledged.
Advice is presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work for all. Please report errors to .
LINKS: We allow and encourage links to any public page as long as the linked page does not appear within a frame that prevents bookmarking it.
Email may be published at our discretion unless marked "not for publication"; email addresses will not be published without permission, and we will encrypt them in hopes of avoiding spammers. Letters may be edited for length, context, and to match house style.
PRIVACY: We don't collect personal information unless you explicitly provide it. For more details, see our Terms of Use.

Custom Search

Follow Low End Mac on Twitter
Join Low End Mac on Facebook

Low End Mac Reader Specials

TypeStyler 11 is now in the Mac App Store!! -- Special Introductory Price of $59.95!! -- To Buy From The Mac App Store Click Here Now!! Or buy direct from Strider Software.

Don't install Parallels to play poker online! Poker Mac will show you how to download and install a native Mac poker and Mac Casino applications in minutes.

Affiliates

Amazon.com
The Apple Store
The iTunes Store
PC Connection Express
GainSaver
Parallels Desktop for Mac
eBay