Macs to the Max

Originally posted 2007-05-09 18:18:17

Like any typical company, the place where I work relies on Dell/Windows/Outlook/Office for all internal computing needs. Even our Unix sysadmins run Windows XP on their desktops, though they hurriedly cover their stock Windows wallpaper with PuTTY windows. I can’t fault our infrastructure team for choosing this platform–every company does, all the employees know how to use it, and it works (except for that time a virus slipped through . . .). I long, however, for the speed, simplicity, and power of a Mac at work. I bug our Director of Infrastructure about it from time to time, and he sends me any article he can find decrying Macs–often resorting to stories from the ’80s, when he still had hair.

Lately, many of the developers at work have bought Macs, and have joined the Mac chorus. \”Oh, great,\” he replies, \”now TWELVE people in the world have Macs.\” My Mac quest flounders.

Developers worldwide are jumping on Macs, though, for the power, simplicity, and robustness. They have Unix at their fingertips without having to write their own device drivers or forgo sound on their laptops. They can run all their development tools–Eclipse, NetBeans, vi, emacs, and increasingly TextMate–and all their servers (Mongrel, GlassFish, JBoss). JavaOne has emphatically brought this point home: EVERY presentation I’ve seen–EVERY ONE–has run from a Mac. The Sun-led keynote presentations. The session slides. The demos. All on Mac.

Mark: are you listening?