[Sigia-l] Re: Apple as enterprise technology (was tool standardization)

[Listera]

"David Heller" wrote:

> While at times you are a little too blunt for my tastes...

I hail from New York. :-) But thank you for your kind words.

> So please explain what you meant by the Apple:Enterprise Technologies
> comment?

Apple hardware and software runs some of the largest enterprise
apps/websites on the planet like its own Apple.com, iTunes Music Store,
QuickTime trailers site, .mac services, etc. The first one alone is a
billion dollar business. Apple has 'enterprise' customers ranging from
TimeWarner to Genentech, to NASA to BBC to Deutsche Bank. They may not be
the kind of 'enterprise' customers you are dealing with, but they use Apple
stuff both on desktops as well as large-scale business oriented
applications. Apple's WebObjects *created* the app server market and was the
market leader in both revenue and large-scale customers for the first 2-3
years.

But you are absolutely right. Apple's current focus is consumer oriented,
plus education, science, design, etc. Mostly because Apple is not idiotic
enough to enter into markets that are calcified into not thinking different.
Apple has nothing to offer in markets where you spend $5-$10 million on a
CRM or CMS package, turn your company upside down, wonder what happen to
that money and still call it an 'enterprise' move.

When it can make a difference Apple does provide unrivalled enterprise
solutions. Take its music store: client (Apple iTunes 4, the best music
client software on the planet), middleware/app server (Apple WebObjects,
working pretty flawlessly at huge volumes), servers (Apple XServe, terrific
1U server value and just getting started), player (Apple iPod, the best
portable music player and market leader). And the best part: the best
integration and user experience, bar none.

That's a classic 'enterprise' story, though you wouldn't know it, if you
only go through the litany of checklists and the usual names.

Like I said, Apple hasn't directly targeted the enterprise, yet. It's
beginning to. And you will certainly hear more. But don't expect Apple to
play on its competitors' turf and by their rules. That's what makes Apple
such an exciting company. Otherwise, you wouldn't have the iMac, iPod,
XServe, G5 workstations, Cocoa, WebObjects, iTunes, FinalCutPro, the
PowerBooks and all the rest of them.

Ziya
Nullius in Verba