When Google announced recently that they will begin phasing out Windows at their corporate offices, I was very happy.  This move represents something that a lot of people working in I.T. have known for years.  Devotion to using only one platform, Windows in particular, presents many security risks.  Mac OS X, and Linux are not immune to security issues; however, these two UNIX based platforms tend to offer better security, as well as better reliability, and stability.

Many business users will still argue that Windows offers more applications, specifically in accounting, than are offered for Mac and Linux.  They’re right, but this assumption is misleading.  Most business applications today have a Mac equivalent, or a version written for the Mac.  Microsoft Word, and Excel actually shipped on the Mac BEFORE they shipped for Windows.  Today, Microsoft Office 2008 is a great business software suite that provides Mac users with seamless compatibility with their Windows using couterparts.  There are also several application suites available for Linux that also provide compatibility with Microsoft Office documents.  Companies like Intuit, and other software vendors who make accounting software have largely marginalized Mac and Linux users.  That’s starting to change.  The latest versions of Quickbooks for the Mac have been vastly improved.  Intuit has also started offering an online version of their Quickbooks software, which allows any user with a supported web browser to access their company’s Quickbooks data.  This means that Windows is no longer mandatory for accounting.  Still, a lot of businesses who wish to move their computing to the Mac may still be hesitant.  Why not keep the Windows PCs for accounting, and other specialized tasks, and go Mac, or Linux for everyone else?  Also, keep in mind that, since 2006, Macs have been able to run Windows side by side with Mac OS X using either Parallels Desktop, or VMware Fusion. I’ve used both of these products.  They’re both great solutions for Mac users who want to run Windows applications while still enjoying all of the features and benefits of the Mac.

Even after the dramatic resurgence of the Mac platform since the late 1990s, most businesses today still use Windows PCs. There is still the prevailing  misconception that, for general business, Windows is the better choice whereas, the Mac is a better choice for home users, or for creative endeavors.  As an Apple Consultant, I see every day that this old myth is wrong.  The Mac is great for business.  In fact, you can run your whole business on a Mac.

There is a growing number of small and medium sized businesses (and even some large ones) that are adopting the Mac as their primary computing platform.  These companies have found that the Mac is just as capable of running their accounting, email and messaging, file sharing, and web services.  There are several great accounting software titles available for the Mac [Macworld Review].  These include Quickbooks from Intuit, and MYOB AccountEdge.  For businesses who are seeking to avoid the high licensing and maintenance costs associated with Microsoft Exchange, my recommendation is Kerio Connect 7 (formerly Kerio Mail Server).    Mac OS X Server’s file sharing capabilities are excellent, even in mixed computing environments.  Since 2003′s release of Mac OS X Server v. 10.3, Mac OS X Server has had the capability of serving as a primary domain controller for Windows PCs.  Mac OS X Server leverages industry standard LDAP (lightweight directory access protocol), and Kerberos services to provide secure authentication services to both Mac and Windows PCs.  Apple calls its implementation of LDAP Open Directory.   Mac and Windows PCs can bind directly to Open Directory, which enables the server to host home directories for end users, and allow each user to access all of the share points and services that he or she has been authorized to access.  Mac OS X Server offers a much simpler interface for which to manage the server, and all of its services.