I've installed Windows 8 on a VM, and while I know it is a very early preview, I predict Microsoft will be joining Borland, Novell, Lotus, etc. pretty soon. I think that when Apple attacks the enterprise market in a meaningful way, the MS death bell will start to ring. Tiles? Really?
Given their recent enterprise flops with lion & their app store prchase model I think it's safe to say apple is still clueless about enterprise. As long as MS rules the small to medium business markets their desktop os isn't going anywhere in business. I personally would love to see apple take them on but I don't think they are in a place to do that yet.
Is Lion struggling in enterprises? I haven't seen anything about that.
As for the app store, I thought there were special ways for businesses to buy group licenses. And since Microsoft is moving the same direction with Windows 8 and their app store, I can't see how Apple would be put at a disadvantage. Why not take the burden of application updates off of IT and let the app store manage it?
However, it does leave out some of the downside in terms of Apple's plans and achievements in the area of Office productivity apps.
For instance there is no mention of the fact that the iPad apps are still feature incomplete relative to the desktop versions of iWork, that the feature set of both versions is rather minimal at best, and that Apple has a long history of botching Office productivity apps by basically letting them languish after the initial version.
Pages for instance has hardly changed or evolved at all from the very first desktop version and while it's simpler and better designed than MS Word, it's neither as powerful nor as flexible. The mobile version is not even as good as that. There is still no pagination, no hyphenation and no stylesheet control (even though the entire program is based on stylesheets), in the mobile app and moving a document from the desktop to a mobile device, currently changes the format of the file in ridiculous ways.
I use iWork exclusively and as a writer I use Pages for everything I create both on the desktop and the iPad. I use Pages day in and day out on the iPad and on multiple computers and I'm well aware of what it can (and cannot) do. As far as I can see, Apple has shown little sign that they really care that much about those of us that have switched to their productivity apps. The iWork mobile apps feels very much like "placeholder" apps to me. IMO Apple really needs to step up their game here or they will be steamrollered.
I'm really rooting for Apple to pull it off this time, but it bears saying that even though Apple is currently far ahead of Microsoft on the mobile word processing front, there is still ample time for them to f*ck it up as they have before.
These the most important points in the whole thread get very little attention. Compatibility is still king, and iWork isn't - not even with itself. It works if you are completely isolated and can get by with one device and sending PDFs - iPad iWork apps do allow this, right? - but for more it is a seriously risky business using it for work purposes, ironically.
Is Lion struggling in enterprises? I haven't seen anything about that.
As for the app store, I thought there were special ways for businesses to buy group licenses. And since Microsoft is moving the same direction with Windows 8 and their app store, I can't see how Apple would be put at a disadvantage. Why not take the burden of application updates off of IT and let the app store manage it?
Well they haven't really had huge success have they.
Letting users keep there software up to date with an app stores a joke right? Users just won't do it, and if they did do it, what happens when one of the updates breaks custom extensions the organisation uses.
Presentation apps don't really matter to anyone, provided something exists and is usable. We're all so benumbed by the nonstop media barrage provided by advertising that setting the screen on fire won't get our attention. PowerPoint vs Keynote? Who cares? The only notable thing either has ever accomplished is to render ubiquitous the ability to sleep with eyes open.
Well they haven't really had huge success have they.
Letting users keep there software up to date with an app stores a joke right? Users just won't do it, and if they did do it, what happens when one of the updates breaks custom extensions the organisation uses.
iPhones and iPads just use a customer app store in business. Lion will just be the same. Done.
Comments
I've installed Windows 8 on a VM, and while I know it is a very early preview, I predict Microsoft will be joining Borland, Novell, Lotus, etc. pretty soon. I think that when Apple attacks the enterprise market in a meaningful way, the MS death bell will start to ring. Tiles? Really?
Given their recent enterprise flops with lion & their app store prchase model I think it's safe to say apple is still clueless about enterprise. As long as MS rules the small to medium business markets their desktop os isn't going anywhere in business. I personally would love to see apple take them on but I don't think they are in a place to do that yet.
As for the app store, I thought there were special ways for businesses to buy group licenses. And since Microsoft is moving the same direction with Windows 8 and their app store, I can't see how Apple would be put at a disadvantage. Why not take the burden of application updates off of IT and let the app store manage it?
Good analysis.
However, it does leave out some of the downside in terms of Apple's plans and achievements in the area of Office productivity apps.
For instance there is no mention of the fact that the iPad apps are still feature incomplete relative to the desktop versions of iWork, that the feature set of both versions is rather minimal at best, and that Apple has a long history of botching Office productivity apps by basically letting them languish after the initial version.
Pages for instance has hardly changed or evolved at all from the very first desktop version and while it's simpler and better designed than MS Word, it's neither as powerful nor as flexible. The mobile version is not even as good as that. There is still no pagination, no hyphenation and no stylesheet control (even though the entire program is based on stylesheets), in the mobile app and moving a document from the desktop to a mobile device, currently changes the format of the file in ridiculous ways.
I use iWork exclusively and as a writer I use Pages for everything I create both on the desktop and the iPad. I use Pages day in and day out on the iPad and on multiple computers and I'm well aware of what it can (and cannot) do. As far as I can see, Apple has shown little sign that they really care that much about those of us that have switched to their productivity apps. The iWork mobile apps feels very much like "placeholder" apps to me. IMO Apple really needs to step up their game here or they will be steamrollered.
I'm really rooting for Apple to pull it off this time, but it bears saying that even though Apple is currently far ahead of Microsoft on the mobile word processing front, there is still ample time for them to f*ck it up as they have before.
These the most important points in the whole thread get very little attention. Compatibility is still king, and iWork isn't - not even with itself. It works if you are completely isolated and can get by with one device and sending PDFs - iPad iWork apps do allow this, right? - but for more it is a seriously risky business using it for work purposes, ironically.
Is Lion struggling in enterprises? I haven't seen anything about that.
As for the app store, I thought there were special ways for businesses to buy group licenses. And since Microsoft is moving the same direction with Windows 8 and their app store, I can't see how Apple would be put at a disadvantage. Why not take the burden of application updates off of IT and let the app store manage it?
Well they haven't really had huge success have they.
Letting users keep there software up to date with an app stores a joke right? Users just won't do it, and if they did do it, what happens when one of the updates breaks custom extensions the organisation uses.
Presentation apps don't really matter to anyone, provided something exists and is usable. We're all so benumbed by the nonstop media barrage provided by advertising that setting the screen on fire won't get our attention. PowerPoint vs Keynote? Who cares? The only notable thing either has ever accomplished is to render ubiquitous the ability to sleep with eyes open.
Well they haven't really had huge success have they.
Letting users keep there software up to date with an app stores a joke right? Users just won't do it, and if they did do it, what happens when one of the updates breaks custom extensions the organisation uses.
iPhones and iPads just use a customer app store in business. Lion will just be the same. Done.