We currently spend around $200/thin client. LOGICALLY, I would have to present a case study with full ROI to increase our spend per unit by $400-$600. What would be my case? That somehow we will see a productivity lift now that my supervisors could listen to music and play games while they roamed the production floor?
First off, it is a $300 premium per unit to meet your needs.
As far as ROI goes, it is all going to depend on the nature of your business, but the following three items would make it a slam dunk:
High-Value Employees - Giving the CFO remote access to finance securely through an iPad is a no-brainer. Anybody who can directly generate an extra $1.50 per day in profit, 200 days per year, is an easy target.
Outside Sales Staff - People that can interact with their customers directly, and close the sale sitting at their side will pay it off in a couple transactions.
Smaller Workspace - In your production supervisors case, would giving them a mobile device help to eliminate or reduce the size of their office/workspace, while allowing them to work effectively? If you can save 8 square feet per person, even in a factory, you pay that delta.
It isn't that hard to justify as long as you focus on the benefit. No, listening to music isn't it.
Super awesome. The more companies move towards byoc the happier I will be as a mac user with a business degree. The world is getting better and better each year.
Our company uses Citrix thin clients for low level supervisor/management staff, and a few other scan technology applications. Mid/upper level management are provided desktops/laptops depending on amount of travel. Specifically, I use a laptop, but my direct reports use thin clients. I can see members of our executive team carrying Ipads with them when they travel to corporate hq for monthly meetings, however this would not replace Citrix units since they would already have Dell laptops. It definitely would not replace the current crop of thin clients on our production floor, because there is no way to justify the additional expense. A new conveyor system may improve departmental operational efficiency...an Ipad for a supervisor will not.
Ever heard of "penny wise, pound foolish?" The weak-minded are denied the fruits of observation. Too bad for you.
Yes, I've heard of "penny wise, pound foolish", and have used it many times in my organization to argue against short-sighted ideas. However, in this case it's a matter of simple economics, production management, and responsibility to shareholders. There is no benefit, in particular, to my company replacing our Citrix units with iPads.
Now, I admit to seeing a few of my peers buying their own iPads to take with them on business trips. I, myself, will probably buy one later in the year for traveling. However, our company will not officially support them, nor would I expect them to. And in regard to the article, we would not be replacing Citrix units. Maybe it will work out for your company...good for you if it does. It just does not make sense in our particular work environment, and calling me weak-minded does not make it so.
Re the comment about accidently creating the best thin client ever ..
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Millmoss
What makes you think it was an accident?
Exactly. The iPad is the thin client for everyone who has no clue what a thin client is. It is my dad's computer. It is the first post-os computer - and that is no accident.
Yes, I've heard of "penny wise, pound foolish", and have used it many times in my organization to argue against short-sighted ideas. However, in this case it's a matter of simple economics, production management, and responsibility to shareholders. There is no benefit, in particular, to my company replacing our Citrix units with iPads.
OK, so either Citrix isn't right for your company or it is and you're just not creative enough to see it. Either way, why should anyone else care?
The point is that lots of people DO see a use for it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by boeyc15
The largest aerospace company in the world that I work for will not spend 2k on a basic laptop for once in a while travel needs... just no way, so IMO don't think thats a fair arguement.
If I understand correctly, most of the citrix things also can be done on a laptop also. And usually, if you can do it by Citrix, then just have a loaner laptop in your dept for about the same price as an ipad for everyone to share. Our company has not empbraced 3G for travelers as a rule. Just on case by case for power travelers.
Just an opinion, I'm not sure I see an 'inherent benefit' for corporate ipad purchases vs laptops. There are exceptions, for things like demo's to customers and the like.... and thats even a hard sell for me. Now... allowing company citrix on a 'personnel ipad'... ok, makes sense. but security is tight now a days.
If you're using the laptop as a laptop (local storage, etc), then you have to worry about security. The value of the data on your laptop undoubtedly exceeds the price of the laptop by a huge percentage. Loss of the laptop would be extremely expensive.
If, OTOH, you're using the laptop as a thin client already, then the laptop has no advantage over the iPad, but a number of disadvantages: it's heavier, it's more expensive, if you're running Windows it can get viruses, and the local storage is a temptation to users to store data locally - creating a major security problem.
Will you people quit calling the iPad expensive and trying to compare apples to oranges? This "argument" is so glaringly illogical it qualifies only as noise.
It doesn't pretend to be anything other than garbage.
It's "Citrix customers and others that have come to our website and have interest enough in the iPad to take a short survey", enticed by the chance to win the iPad they long for.
Self-selected samples are the best way to conduct statistical measurement. If you want to flog a product like a used car salesman.
While I disagree with your post, I absolutely love your screen name!
I'm a fan of the iPad, in fact I'm posting this from an iPad. But this survey or perhaps the portrayal of it, seems incorrect. Our company would probably be in that 80%. Dependingnon how that question was sake, I would have said we plan on "supporting" ipads. After all, I hqveoneand so do a couple other people. I've even authorized them on the the secure wifi network.
But you know what? I also received a directive, one sent out to all the IT managers, saying: don't buy any ipads. This is the only directive of this type that I have ever received. It also saod that should a business need arise, that the ban would be lifted.
This scenerio is probably fairly common. IT departments plan on supporting ipads but companies cant justify their purchase and wont actually be buying any ipads. Yet we would still fall into that 80%? That 80% doesn't mean what I think some people think it means.
Edit: vie left in the spelling errors on purpose. It already took way too long to type this post. I should have got up and typed it on the iMac on the other side of the room. Ipads are great, but not necessarily great for productivity or ones wallet.
OK, so either Citrix isn't right for your company or it is and you're just not creative enough to see it. Either way, why should anyone else care?
The point is that lots of people DO see a use for it.
If you're using the laptop as a laptop (local storage, etc), then you have to worry about security. The value of the data on your laptop undoubtedly exceeds the price of the laptop by a huge percentage. Loss of the laptop would be extremely expensive.
If, OTOH, you're using the laptop as a thin client already, then the laptop has no advantage over the iPad, but a number of disadvantages: it's heavier, it's more expensive, if you're running Windows it can get viruses, and the local storage is a temptation to users to store data locally - creating a major security problem.
What part of "WE USE CITRIX THIN CLIENTS" do you not get? You don't have to be a jerk just because our company (+60,000 employees worldwide) doesn't see things your way. The article in discussion was written about companies like mine that already use Citrix. We, apparently, are part the 20% that will not be making the switch. So sorry to pee in your Cheerios. Allow me to go and kill myself now to make you happy.
Comments
We currently spend around $200/thin client. LOGICALLY, I would have to present a case study with full ROI to increase our spend per unit by $400-$600. What would be my case? That somehow we will see a productivity lift now that my supervisors could listen to music and play games while they roamed the production floor?
First off, it is a $300 premium per unit to meet your needs.
As far as ROI goes, it is all going to depend on the nature of your business, but the following three items would make it a slam dunk:
- High-Value Employees - Giving the CFO remote access to finance securely through an iPad is a no-brainer. Anybody who can directly generate an extra $1.50 per day in profit, 200 days per year, is an easy target.
- Outside Sales Staff - People that can interact with their customers directly, and close the sale sitting at their side will pay it off in a couple transactions.
- Smaller Workspace - In your production supervisors case, would giving them a mobile device help to eliminate or reduce the size of their office/workspace, while allowing them to work effectively? If you can save 8 square feet per person, even in a factory, you pay that delta.
It isn't that hard to justify as long as you focus on the benefit. No, listening to music isn't it.Quick question: Do you use Citrix?
Our company uses Citrix thin clients for low level supervisor/management staff, and a few other scan technology applications. Mid/upper level management are provided desktops/laptops depending on amount of travel. Specifically, I use a laptop, but my direct reports use thin clients. I can see members of our executive team carrying Ipads with them when they travel to corporate hq for monthly meetings, however this would not replace Citrix units since they would already have Dell laptops. It definitely would not replace the current crop of thin clients on our production floor, because there is no way to justify the additional expense. A new conveyor system may improve departmental operational efficiency...an Ipad for a supervisor will not.
Ever heard of "penny wise, pound foolish?" The weak-minded are denied the fruits of observation. Too bad for you.
Yes, I've heard of "penny wise, pound foolish", and have used it many times in my organization to argue against short-sighted ideas. However, in this case it's a matter of simple economics, production management, and responsibility to shareholders. There is no benefit, in particular, to my company replacing our Citrix units with iPads.
Now, I admit to seeing a few of my peers buying their own iPads to take with them on business trips. I, myself, will probably buy one later in the year for traveling. However, our company will not officially support them, nor would I expect them to. And in regard to the article, we would not be replacing Citrix units. Maybe it will work out for your company...good for you if it does. It just does not make sense in our particular work environment, and calling me weak-minded does not make it so.
What makes you think it was an accident?
Exactly. The iPad is the thin client for everyone who has no clue what a thin client is. It is my dad's computer. It is the first post-os computer - and that is no accident.
Yes, I've heard of "penny wise, pound foolish", and have used it many times in my organization to argue against short-sighted ideas. However, in this case it's a matter of simple economics, production management, and responsibility to shareholders. There is no benefit, in particular, to my company replacing our Citrix units with iPads.
OK, so either Citrix isn't right for your company or it is and you're just not creative enough to see it. Either way, why should anyone else care?
The point is that lots of people DO see a use for it.
The largest aerospace company in the world that I work for will not spend 2k on a basic laptop for once in a while travel needs... just no way, so IMO don't think thats a fair arguement.
If I understand correctly, most of the citrix things also can be done on a laptop also. And usually, if you can do it by Citrix, then just have a loaner laptop in your dept for about the same price as an ipad for everyone to share. Our company has not empbraced 3G for travelers as a rule. Just on case by case for power travelers.
Just an opinion, I'm not sure I see an 'inherent benefit' for corporate ipad purchases vs laptops. There are exceptions, for things like demo's to customers and the like.... and thats even a hard sell for me. Now... allowing company citrix on a 'personnel ipad'... ok, makes sense. but security is tight now a days.
If you're using the laptop as a laptop (local storage, etc), then you have to worry about security. The value of the data on your laptop undoubtedly exceeds the price of the laptop by a huge percentage. Loss of the laptop would be extremely expensive.
If, OTOH, you're using the laptop as a thin client already, then the laptop has no advantage over the iPad, but a number of disadvantages: it's heavier, it's more expensive, if you're running Windows it can get viruses, and the local storage is a temptation to users to store data locally - creating a major security problem.
Will you people quit calling the iPad expensive and trying to compare apples to oranges? This "argument" is so glaringly illogical it qualifies only as noise.
uhh? - I didn't 'hear' a thing?
ghostface must be on another 'level'
It doesn't pretend to be anything other than garbage.
It's "Citrix customers and others that have come to our website and have interest enough in the iPad to take a short survey", enticed by the chance to win the iPad they long for.
Self-selected samples are the best way to conduct statistical measurement. If you want to flog a product like a used car salesman.
While I disagree with your post, I absolutely love your screen name!
OccamsAftershave... LOL!
.
That sort of connecting to a computer LIKE EVERY OTHER DEVICE that uses Flash?
You mean it lets you view Flash on your iPad in the same way you can "run" Windows on your iPad.
You need to be connected to a computer doing all the actual processing.
But you know what? I also received a directive, one sent out to all the IT managers, saying: don't buy any ipads. This is the only directive of this type that I have ever received. It also saod that should a business need arise, that the ban would be lifted.
This scenerio is probably fairly common. IT departments plan on supporting ipads but companies cant justify their purchase and wont actually be buying any ipads. Yet we would still fall into that 80%? That 80% doesn't mean what I think some people think it means.
Edit: vie left in the spelling errors on purpose. It already took way too long to type this post. I should have got up and typed it on the iMac on the other side of the room. Ipads are great, but not necessarily great for productivity or ones wallet.
OK, so either Citrix isn't right for your company or it is and you're just not creative enough to see it. Either way, why should anyone else care?
The point is that lots of people DO see a use for it.
If you're using the laptop as a laptop (local storage, etc), then you have to worry about security. The value of the data on your laptop undoubtedly exceeds the price of the laptop by a huge percentage. Loss of the laptop would be extremely expensive.
If, OTOH, you're using the laptop as a thin client already, then the laptop has no advantage over the iPad, but a number of disadvantages: it's heavier, it's more expensive, if you're running Windows it can get viruses, and the local storage is a temptation to users to store data locally - creating a major security problem.
What part of "WE USE CITRIX THIN CLIENTS" do you not get? You don't have to be a jerk just because our company (+60,000 employees worldwide) doesn't see things your way. The article in discussion was written about companies like mine that already use Citrix. We, apparently, are part the 20% that will not be making the switch. So sorry to pee in your Cheerios. Allow me to go and kill myself now to make you happy.
Citrix is trying to make money and hype.
Rob