In Part 1 of this Series we covered the pros and cons of having a PC-only IT infrastructure for your church. You’re ready to make a decision now, right? Of course not!
Today in part 2 of this 3 part series we’ll look at the primary reasons why you should choose a Mac-only IT environment over a PC-only environment for your church’s IT infrastructure. And, conversely, there are reasons why you would not want to go with exclusively Apple products in your church.
Even with a much smaller market-share than Microsoft, Apple has revolutionized computing. Though they are a small voice in the chorus of computer users in the world they are loud and very vocal (with good reason).
Let’s dive in and see what Apple has to offer!
The Mac-Only Environment
Underneath the glossy image, Apple’s OS X is a major contender for your church’s computing environment.
Make no mistake, Apple is here to stay and they are gaining ground in many markets and in some cases have surpassed their Microsoft counterparts.
So why should you “Get a Mac?” Let’s check out 3 compelling reasons to buy a Mac:
1. Support after the Sale
If you’re already running Windows on your current computer, it’s safe to say that you’ve gone through the headache or reloading the operating system and all of your applications and restoring your data from backup (you do backup your data, right?).
Switching to an unfamiliar OS can be a little daunting but Apple has a solution for you.
They have, bar none, the best tutorials on the Internet of any computer manufacturer.
Also, you can visit an Apple store and they will transfer your files from your PC to your new Mac for you. At times, I’ve seen his service offered for free.
2. Longevity
I’ve had my Macbook Pro for almost three years now. I’ve upgraded the OS twice and even after all these years it still feels as peppy as the day I got it.
I’m continually amazed that people are using Macs that have been around for 5 or more years and running the current version of OS X without having to upgrade the hardware.
This kind of longevity is what will get you the most bang for your buck.
3. Macs Can Run Windows
The “my software isn’t available on a Mac” is no longer an excuse to stick with Windows.
With Boot Camp you can run all of those legacy WIndows XP apps and the ones that just aren’t available for OS X.
Also, with products like VMWare’s Fusion or Parallels there’s no reason to even reboot your Mac to use that Windows-only application.
Your Mac can pull double duty and that makes it a great investment.
I know what you’re thinking; you’re thinking, “You said software was a reason to stick with PCs!” We’ll come back around to this again.
Convinced yet? Hold on, there partner. You may want to consider these 3 reasons NOT to exclusively run Macs in your church:
1. The Learning Curve
Although a Mac is certainly easy to use, there is a learning curve. That secretary that’s been using Windows for 15 years is going to have a hard time switching. Not because it’s hard, but because people don’t like change.
There are books, blogs and podcasts dedicated to switching from a Windows PC to OS X so clearly it’s not that easy for everyone.
I’ve been using a Mac for 3 years now and I still come across very basic things I could easily do in Windows that I couldn’t figure out how to do in OS X.
2. No Business-Class Support
Apple is a consumer-oriented hardware manufacturer. Steve Jobs has repeatedly stated that Apple is a hardware company, not a software company.
Businesses that have tried to convert their entire infrastructure over to all-Apple environments from a primarily Windows one haven’t received the support they expected from Apple to make such a commitment to their products.
Getting support for that Windows-only app running under Boot Camp or in a virtual machine may be very difficult. Some vendors may tell you that you’re out of luck.
3. Price
This is where the rubber really meets the road. Your church just may not have the budget to replace all of their Windows PCs with Macs.
Even with a discount for non-profits, an iMac will put you out at least $1000. A Mac Mini is about $600 but you don’t even get a keyboard for that.
Then there’s the cost of running two operating systems if you need to use Windows-only applications. Buying a retail copy of Windows 7 will set you back at least an additional $180.
That OEM copy of Windows XP that’s running on your Dell or HP is null and void apart from the hardware it was sold with so you can’t transfer it over either.
Convinced?
Still can’t decide what direction to go?
In the next article I’ll sum up everything mentioned in both parts and wrap it up with a neat little bow.
Hopefully you’ll be able to make a decision after all has been said and done.
Don’t miss part three and don’t forget to leave some comments below and let us know what you think about this series so far!
Aaron says
I’ve heard you mention Apple non-profit pricing multiple times — at least I think it was you! I’ve searched around and around, and haven’t been able to find anything on non-profit pricing. Where’s the hidden door?
John Wilkerson says
When you make a purchase by phone or at an Apple store if you bring your tax-exempt form they will give you a discount. Homechoolers get an educational discount too.
Chase says
Really enjoying the series so far! Love the way you’re presenting the facts, and not your opinion.
John Wilkerson says
Thanks, man. Appreciate the kudos.
Brian says
I don’t understand reason #3 under reasons to buy a Mac. If you’ll have to install Windows on your new Mac to run the software you need then why buy a Mac in the first place? It seems like a reason not to write off buying a Mac but I don’t know about it being a reason to buy one.
John Wilkerson says
In the past the argument went like this: Don’t buy a Mac because you can’t run all the software that’s available on Windows. Now that Windows runs on Macs, nearly all the software that runs on Windows will run on a Mac. This lets your Mac do double-duty instead of buying a Dell (for example) to do that one thing in Windows that you couldn’t on a Mac it can all be done on one computer.
Brian says
I just reread my post and I don’t even understand what I was trying to say. Let me try again. One of the strengths and benefits of having a non-Windows system is the lack of software out there for it. I’ve been trying for years to get my church to switch over to Linux because of how hard it is to find and install programs on it. Every time I’m called in to fix some problem on one of the church’s computers it’s almost always because someone has installed something they shouldn’t have. They won’t let you setup permissions so they can’t install programs and it just keeps on happening again and again. I know I’m probably being harsh but the vast majority of PC problems come from the user. So my point is, IF you can get away from a Window’s environment you’ll probably have less user related problems down the road, but if you can’t the Mac’s ability to also run Windows is not so much a selling point as it is a crutch.
John Wilkerson says
Good point. There is a human factor involved. There’s really nothing you can do about that. However, some church management software will not run on a Mac. Converting to a new product could be costly both financially and in the time needed to do the conversion correctly. Being able to run Windows on a Mac is a stop-gap until that software will run natively in OS X. Yes, it’s a crutch. When you have a broken leg a crutch is a good thing.
Nate Beaird says
Dude, I’m a Creative guy, so I spend most of my time over on Church Create, but the title of this series begged me to come over. I’ve been in this argument for about ten years. I’ve worked on both platforms with design and film editing software, and I’ll tell you one thing through years of experience, I will NEVER work on a PC ever again if I have anything to say about it.
Right now, my department runs 4 macs, and I’ve been on the phone with Apple Care once in the two years I’ve been there, but at least twice a week we have an 3rd party IT guy come in and fix all the PC’s in the office. He only comes in my office to shoot the breeze, he’s a nice enough guy, but I wonder how much our church could save by switch to Macs- up front we’d take the hit, but in the long run we’d save cash for sure.
What I’ve learned about the “Learning Curve” from PC to Mac is that it’s way easier. “You mean instead of going into the control panel and wade through all the ‘monitor’ settings to set up my 2nd monitor, all I have to do is plug it in… and the Mac does all the work for me in 3 seconds?”
It’s amazing. Obviously, I’m not biased. 🙂
Nick Shoemaker says
Well said Nate.
And I wouldn’t say that you’re biased. If you were biased, you would have ONLY worked with Mac. As you said, you’ve worked with both platforms and find Mac better.
I think the biggest consideration is up-front cost. Yes- you pay more to start with, but, as Nate said, how much will you spend fixing things long-term? TWICE A WEEK service calls? Somebody needs to start shouting about that black hole of spending and refuse to shut up until it’s remedied! Seriously, that’s gross negligence in the stewardship category.
Another thing to consider is, and I know this is dangerous to say this here, that you may not need an IT person at all when running 100% on Mac. Our church runs 100% Mac. Yes- we pay more for the hardware, but we’ve never had a service call. Between myself and a couple people on staff, we know how to fix 99% of any issue. There isn’t the need for an IT position (sorry- I know that hurts).
I’ve seen both platforms at work. And I’ve seen both have their glitches. But, the reality is that if the only reason you’re not using Mac is because you don’t like change you need to have a serious come-to-Jesus moment, because change is what following Him is all about.
Yeah Nate- IDK who would consider PC’s anymore. BLACK HOLE.
John Wilkerson says
Nate and Nick,
Thanks for your comments. Everyone has different experiences using computers. I use both platforms. Let me share my experience.
My Dell D830 laptop has never been called in for service in 3 years and I’ve never had to reload the operating system because it has slowed to a crawl (unlike my Macbook). I have 50+ apps installed on it and I test applications regularly where I work. This means installing/uninstalling a lot of applications. I’ve reloaded the OS once: to upgrade to Windows 7.
My Macbook on the other hand has had the OS reloaded 3 times in as many years because I couldn’t bear how slow it was running. Most of the apps I use on the Mac are in the iLife suite. I have to regularly reboot it because it runs too slow.
That’s my experience. Again, thanks for sharing. We all have different perspectives and in the end it comes down to how comfortable you are with either platform. This series is about making an informed decision. I think you’ll be surprised with my final assessment.
Nate Beaird says
Looking forward to it! I’ve really enjoyed this series!
Graham says
I’m looking forward to part 3. I think you mentioned that part 3 would be reasons to have a dual platform environment in the office. As you mentioned… for the church secretary that’s used windows for 15 years, I’m not sure it’s worth the headache for him/her to switch to mac. For those employees that are doing just basic data entry a mac probably isn’t worth the investment.
However, for that worship/creative team… I can totally see where macs are needed. I’d like to hear your thoughts on running a mac server instead of windows server. Staff desk hardware aside… what do you think is the best way to go for the office server?
Don says
One of your final statements “That OEM copy of Windows XP that’s running on your Dell or HP is null and void apart from the hardware it was sold with so you can’t transfer it over either.” is wrong. You are perfectly in your rights to use the same product key as many times as you want, on as many computers as you want.
Sure, the internet checker will go “hey, somebody else is using this right now”, and give you an error about not being able to check, blah blah blah. Use the phone verification. Sure, it takes longer, but you’ll be active.
No, this isn’t a workaround, okay, maybe it is, but it works, and it’s legal.
mrben says
Actually, Don, you’re wrong, I’m afraid to say. Well – depending on which version of Windows you’re talking about. See http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2007/01/8730.ars for Vista by way of an example. An OEM copy is tied to the motherboard it is originally installed on. That’s why computers often come with a sticky label that has the license key on it and is very hard to peel off….. That’s why (well, one of the reasons) buying an OEM disk is so much cheaper.
John Wilkerson says
Don, in the case of a retail version of Windows, you’re correct. However, most EULAs I’ve seen from manufacturers explicitly indicate that they are only for use on the computer you purchased.
oschurch says
I’m a little disappointed at the bias of this series. To me it has the same pro-Mac bias that I see from everyone enamored with Macs. I’m personally a Linux guy, so I feel a little less biased in the Windows/Mac argument because I really don’t like either at all (for my thoughts on Linux I’ll be posting comments to the 3rd installment of this series…but the short answer is that I agree that Linux probably isn’t ready for prime time in most organizations although that time is rapidly coming to a close).
My current company (actually mainly my CEO which is the only one that really matters) is enamored with Macs as well and has tried to be a Mac-only shop (we even moved our IT infrastructure to Mac’s XServer). The problem is it’s really hard to be a Mac only shop even using BootCamp, etc. because there’s always one thing that doesn’t quite work right. So we still have a few of Windows users that can’t move over to Mac’s quite yet. So you still have tons (and let me say TONS) of problems because of those few users.
Even if you do get to have a true Mac-only environment, there’s other issues. Macs are aimed at individual consumers. So they do do very good at that. The problem is that we aren’t individual consumers at an organization…we have this thing called the internet and local area networks and we need to be connected. As far as I can tell Macs are horrible at anything involving collaboration and connection. Whether it’s screwed up permissions on a shared drive or the XServer calendaring not working properly…anything involving more than one computer seems to be a catastrophe rather regularly.
That being said, Windows definitely has it’s problems. However, if you think going to a Mac-only environment will fix those problems…you’re most likely going to be mistaken unless you don’t collaborate that much (which is happening less and less).
I was also disappointed that only the cost of the computer was mentioned in the cost section. Although Mac’s do have a lot of great software as is, you pretty much get to choose between the expensive and the more expensive if it doesn’t come with it. You might not need really full featured software to get a job done and if you don’t, you’re paying for a lot of stuff you aren’t going to use.
I also regularly hear about how “easy” Macs are to use. In general, people find things they are used to easy to do. So if you’re a Mac user, it’s easy to use Macs. If you’re a PC user, it’s easy to use PCs. I personally find a lot of things about OSX counter intuitive and obfuscated and very NOT easy. As a software developer, I’m rather disappointed as “looking cool” usually seems to trump “intuitive”. I’m sure once I join the super-secret-handshack Mac-lover club all of that will go away though.
In short, I’ll just summarize by saying that as far as I can tell, Mac has happier users because they have a phenomenal marketing department and they control their hardware better (which does limit the number of problems they have to deal with). As I mentioned to my co-worker who was having problems with his Mac yesterday, “Macs are great at doing what you want them to do as long as they do what you want them to do.” Granted, the problems you see with Macs are different than the ones you see with PCs…but you’re still just trading ease in one place for problems in another.
Kevin
http://www.opensourcechurch.com
John Wilkerson says
Kevin,
Just wanted to let you know that my primary machine at home runs Windows 7. At work I have a Dell that runs Windows 7 and a Macbook. Don’t know where you’re seeing the bias. I’ve been a Windows guy since version 3.1 and just started using OS X about 2 years ago.
oschurch says
Hi John,
OK, maybe bias is the wrong word…but lack of depth would be the only other way to put it, I think. I guess I just felt you said everything that I hear from everyone (whether it’s true or not). And sorry you hit a sore spot with me on this one because I get so much of the “Macs rule” mentality from the people at my company when all I see is pretty much more of the same. From my experience, Macs are no different in longevity than a decent PC for half the price. Obviously, really cheap computers just don’t last, but if you don’t buy bottom of the line then my experience is that it’s not that bad or even really good. I think support after sale could also be argued very good from many distributors like Dell (although I know people with less than stellar experiences with them…of course, I also know people with less than stellar support from Apple). I just feel like you had the opportunity to really spend a little time with this blog series and unpack it a bit beyond the stereotypes and marketing material…