[X4U] Trying to get a Mac Laptop approved - Part 1

[Simon Forster]

On 16 Oct 2008, at 19:33, Ken Schneider wrote:

[IT Dept said:]

> I am happy to discuss these reasons in depth if required but overall  
> it does not make business sense for individual users to run unique  
> set-ups. Standardisation is the best course for all involved and  
> unless a real significant business need can be shown I cannot  
> deviate from the company standard IT strategy.


On 16 Oct 2008, at 20:13, Ken Schneider wrote:

> Many times I need to troubleshoot why certain graphics don't work  
> with our device (non-Mac hardware/software) and I can't be on-site  
> all the time so I need to use these graphics in both Mac and PC  
> environments to get to the root of the problem.  Plus we are trying  
> to court these same graphics people and going in there with a PC  
> laptop will many times generate dirty looks.
>
> I thought there were articles about how well the Mac works in the PC  
> networking architecture and how adding Macs into a Windows  
> environment did not add to IT support costs.  That is the type of  
> information I was looking for to help back up my response.


I'm puzzled actually. If you're selling in a device to graphics  
departments - which are notoriously pro-Apple - what the hell is it  
such that the entire company can avoid having at least one Apple Mac  
to test it against? I started to write:

"Presumably your device requires a PC to run? For example is a printer  
connected to a PC RIP or some such? i.e. Does NOT connect directly to  
a Mac? If this is the case, I'll echo other's sentiments and say  
you're stuffed."

But then I realised you'd need some way of testing the printer driver  
with the PC RIP - so you'd need a Mac at some point to test.

I'd love to know what your company is selling in to other  
organizations' graphics departments which may be running Apple Macs  
but is such that your company doesn't need to test / have some  
knowledge of your devices ability to work in an Apple Mac environment.  
Seriously, what is it?

I'd support your IT guys sentiments except for the market you suggest  
you're targeting. I don't see how a company serious about the graphics  
industry can NOT have a couple of Macs knocking about.

Am I missing something here?

Simon Forster

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   "My definition of an expert in any field is a person who knows  
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