Small Businesses Should Consider The Macintosh

hat the world needs today is a device that can run multiple platforms, never crashes, has built-in wireless networking, plays music and video, organizes images and runs every application that might be needed. It also would need the fastest network connection available, provide speedy Web access and let users access their company networks from anywhere—and look really cool in the process.

When I got my Apple Macintosh computer, I realized I had the answer. It runs Mac OS X 10.2 “Jaguar,” the latest version of Apple’s Unix-based operating system. Jaguar eases the transition from Mac OS 9 via a Classic mode that supports most legacy applications. I also can run Windows apps through the Connectix Virtual PC virtualization software on my machine, and I have all the Unix and networking tools built in.

With Apple’s new 1U Xserve rack-mount server and Mac OS X 10.2 Server, small businesses now have the greatest reason yet to switch to the Mac. Most small businesses have little or no in-house IT capability and rely on resellers for support and product recommendations. They’re also often more damaged by downtime than larger businesses with internal support staff. That’s all minimized in the well-integrated Mac world.

And with thousands of apps and peripherals available, the Mac is a perfect choice for small businesses. Microsoft offers Office v. X, an OS X-native version of its Office suite that also includes Entourage, a robust e-mail client. I even communicate with my Microsoft Exchange server using the Classic mode running Outlook for Exchange via the VPN client built into OS X. I also can create databases and robust digital content, and I can manage my network from virtually anywhere.

Apple is strong in mobile computing as well. Its Titanium PowerBook and iBook notebooks are thin, light and user-friendly. My Powerbook display is so bright that I feel like I’m using my desktop system. Apple’s laptops come standard with everything you need and more: 802.11b wireless connectivity, roomy hard drives, CD-RW and DVD-R drives (combo drives on some models), USB and FireWire ports, an Ethernet port (Gigabit Ethernet on some models), a modem and video-out/audio-in connections. I can fly from New York to Las Vegas with just one battery and can put the system to sleep by closing the lid, with the laptop waking up immediately when I reopen it. It even switches between wireless connections—Ethernet and dial-up—on the fly, without restarting.

I love my Mac. I turn it on, and it works. Not to say that my PC doesn’t work great, but I have it more as a necessity. My Mac empowers me to do the things I need and want to do. The interface is intuitive, and the hardware and software work perfectly together. More importantly, customers will be happy with the Mac, too.

DAVID SALAV is president of PWR Systems, a New York-based Apple specialist.

 Published for the Week Of October 14, 2002