Macworld preview: New tools for small biz

From Matt Ackeret

When you talked about Polar Bera Farm, you meantion a "neat poker tool" for the iPhone. I don't see anything like thta on their page.

What are you referring to?

From Robert O'Neil

Jonathan,

I can appreciate where your coming from, however, I think the announcements from Apple are bigger than people are being lead to believe. Most importantly, far more important to the "big picture" to the Apple's future. The outright mistake you and others are making is what the three have in common:

- "time capsule," Apple's technology for Time Machine back-up system… Time Machine, in particular, may do small businesses the ultimate favor: It makes it hip to back up your content

- movie downloads for iTunes,

- or the uber-portable MacBook Hair – sorry, "Air" – are steps forward for the company.

They all strengthen Apple's "echo system." This is not just a hip-buzz worthy phrase anymore, it's very real and very powerful to Apple.

Jonathan, any chance you might write about that so others can get it, too?

Best,

Robert

From David Enock

Sorry, wrong premise.

Apple's products are not for "busy guys" like you.

David Enock

From Land, Brooklyn, NY

Jen (Brooklyn Florist), take a look online at Xsilva's LightSpeed2, Mac-based POS software (with retail hardware accessories available) and then contact their Brooklyn reseller, David Auerbach of Digital Fix. Bloom on…

From Jen, Brooklyn, NY

Anyone have advice on using your mac as a cash register for a retail business. We are a small florist and I just purchased MacBook for the store (made the swich to Mac for personal computer 5 years ago & can not go back to PC) but the only software I can find is $750 and more than I can afford for this. I am interested in something basic that I can port into Quickbooks or something like so I don't have to use hand written receipts. I don't need inventory mgmt or other bells and whistles at this point. Guess I could use excel too.

From Russ, Omaha, Ne

I believe I am speaking for a large number of small business owners by saying that unless your business is IT, then IT is just another expense. Few mom and pop companies have the luxury (meaning we cannot afford it) of even a part time IT dept. I own a childcare center which my wife and daughter run day-to-day. I help out with what I can, which is mostly facility maintenance and keeping a small network of 4 PCs running. I agree that Macs are totally cool, but as a purely business decision, Macs will not get the job done at a price we can afford. Example…last weekend I needed to obtain some software to print out some 1099s for 2007. I found what I needed at OfficeMax for 25 dollars and there was nothing wahtsoever available for a Mac. Bottom line…I got what I needed at a good price and I got it when I needed it and it worked.

From Larry, Wentzville Missouri

Our Company uses Mac's for everything. Even though we are a Audio/Video Media Company and Mac's are best for Graphics and the world's best Audio Program "Digidesign Pro-Tools", we also use Quickbook Pro for Mac to perform all our Companies Financial needs, iWork for Word Processing, Powerpoint and excel stuff. Yes the Mac is more expensive but the life of the computer is Fabulous. My last Mac which I still have is still working fast and great after 7 years. And above all I can train a new person on using a Mac faster than I can on Window Based Machines. Thanks, Too-Relaxed Media.

From Gary Morgan, Melbourne, FL

I've been using Macs in small business since 1986. I wish I'd known that it couldn't be done competitively in a PC world. I feel so out of touch.

From Ron Burchett, Denver, CO

Interesting twist on Apple in small business. But the points noted are worth mentioning. Most people really don't realize how and where the Mac/OS X is used. I think this just broadens ones perspective toward what Apple can and is doing in the small business world.

I have been a Mac convert for only a few years. But I really appreciate what it can do for me. As a bean counter, I don't have any problems providing what I need to provide to my clients.

The programs I currently use include but are not limited to: File Maker Pro, Adobe Pro., MS Office, iWorks, Neo-Office, QuickBooks Pro, OmniGraffle Pro., Circus Ponies Notebook, Skype, Toast 8 Titanium, 1Password and VMWare.

Everything is digital and any documents that need scanning are scanned using the Fujitsu ScanSnap.

Since moving to a Mac, my work flow has increased significantly — especially after I started using Circus Ponies Notebook. The program allows me to easily reference all documents, searches and verbal notations in a place where everything can be quickly called up when needed.

As can be seen — not everyone that uses a Mac does so in the music, photo or layout, etc. field. Some, like me actually enjoy using the Mac as a business tool. I am always reading blogs to see what business purpose the Mac can be used for. Therefore, i was really excited:

When I read that IBM is partnering with Apple by releasing Lotus Notes on the iPhone, but more importantly releasing Symphony as an open source program to compete with MS Office. This collaboration of one time enemies combined with OpenOffice Org and Neo-Office and Google tells me there is an effort a-foot to compete strongly against MS in at least the small business market.

I look forward to seeing what 2008 brings to this arena.

From DS, Christchurch, NZ

In "Last word on MacWorld" it should be Christchurch, not Christ's Church. Dig the vibe of the article overall but tinged with unnecessary negativity. "Apple's hardware has always been frustratingly limited" – in what universe? There is no greater return on investment than a new Mac in a Windows-only small business. Try it. You can always install Windows on it if you have to (XP of course.)

From Paul, New York, NY

My small business has depended exclusively on Macs with no IT department. Many of the comments to this article support this fact. Macs just work. For those very few Windows only programs, we can now run Windows on the mac better than most Windows machines. Is it time to dump your PC for a Mac as a small business? Only if you want to get real work done and maybe have a little fun too!

From Barry, Claremont, California

The Largest Possible Number? What?

If you meen "googol", or 10 to the hundredth power, it's far from the largest possible number. What about googolplex (10 to the googolth power)?

And, Macs have been used in robotics for a long time… companies like IS Robotics (now iRobot) were developing Mac-based robotic software systems in the early 90's, and researchers were using them before that…

But I'm being petty, Nice article!

From Simon Lewenstein, Irving, TX

Been using Mac since 1997 to run our business, as well as to do our graphic arts work. QuickBooks and FileMaker have been the primary tools. FileMaker has proven to be especially adaptable, and easy to learn. While we're not at all heavy duty database developers, we've had little difficulty in modifying and growing the utility of our own business database that we initially hired a developer to build.

Server and networking has nearly always been smooth.

From Walter, W. Caldwell

I spent 13 years at a Fortune 25 company that, when an employee first arrived, gave you a choice of platforms—Mac or pc—to use to get your work done. The split was 50-50. On the Mac side, there were 2 technicians for the 1,200 Mac users and on the pc side, 150 technicians for 1,200 users. Then one day, a new VP of IT was hired (from IBM) and he decided to "standardize" the company with pcs. Only the graphics designers were allowed to keep their Macs (after fighting tooth and nail to justify the exception). After the rollout of pcs, there were 600 technicians necessary to maintain the new "standard" for 2,400 users—1 tech for every 4 users, where the Macs once had 2 techs for 1,200 users!

From Robert Parker CEO Califronia

We are in the middle of a full conversion to MAC and we are VERY happy.

From luke

the fact is that anti mac folks have never really tried to use a Mac seriously ,
the arguments in the articles sound so old
it's the kind of stuff I used to read 20 years ago..

From Luke

I have been using Macs for my business since 1990
never had one bit of a problem and never missed Windows once even in the late 80's 90's the Mac was more stable than Windows 3.1 first then win 95
the amount of software available for my Mac was
SO MUCH EASIER to use and more productive then anything that I had previously used on Windows.
My only issue if I recall was memory prices the mac memory always used to cost quite a bit more.
I run everything in my business with Macs from accounting to creating content for ads,commercials, billing etc.. very easy and economical.

I went through a countless number of peripherals
without a problem, an antique QMS laser printer is still working today plugged in a PowerMac 6100av 66mhz
I print out some invoices using Filemaker pro.
Support ?? nothing that a free phone call to Apple couldn't solve.
In short I could not be happier to have switched my business to Macs back then .. I still use Macs and only Macs and never once I had the need to use Windows

From D H White Ellicott City, MD

There are plenty of technical reasons why Macs are right for many small businesses these days…but let's cut to the crux of the issue. Most small biz owners are not in the computer business. Our focus is our own products and services. We need hardware and software that's easy to set up, learn and use. We don't have gobs of time to spend or waste on dealing with learning curves, installation, and virus worries. (If it ain't billable it ain't doable.) We need reliable computer tools that get us where we need to go when we need to get there. For those of us now lucky enough to have an Apple store nearby, we now also have live professional IT support available by appointment in the form of a "genius" to efficiently answer our questions and teach us what we need or want to know. What more could a small business person want?

From Wade, Aurora, IL

We have run our biz on Macs since 1992 … No IT help and ran our server for 9 years before replacing with a mac-mini – didn't fail just upgraded from 9.2 to 10.4 …. we also run Filemaker Pro and have a great database built around it ….

From Ashley Grayson, Los Angeles, CA

Having used Macs to operate four small businesses since 1986, I can add a few things. We have gradually phased out all PCs from our business except one remaining Sony
Vaio laptop which is a fine computer, except for the MS software it runs. We use it to test websites and keep it just in case a client wants us to do something that requires Windows. Since we mostly get paid to think, and the clients want our ideas rather than data input into forms, they don't care what tools we use.

We have been able to buy a new Mac or other device (printer, scanner, server, etc.) every year when needed just with the money we save by not supporting Windows and other Microsoft taxes, so our Macs are pretty up to date, including a Mac Cube (2000) which is only just now falling behind. It runs OS X 10.4.11 and can't move up to 10.5.

We spend zero dollars on IT support except for having AppleCare on every machine.

We do run Office to be compatible with documents that come to us, and to create some we have to deliver as reports. Office is pretty productive for us because we started with Word 1.0 and know the applications very well. At this point our entire source of computer problems is Office. It still hangs, screws up fonts, quits unexpectedly, and generally wastes our time.

Reducing our use of Microsoft Office overall has reduced our lost time and made us more productive.

Of the odd selection of business tools covered in this article, the one absolute gem is the Fujitsu ScanSnap line. The scanners are easy to use, reliable, and work great out of the box with our Macs. We have already transferred our contracts, and much of our other paper documents to online searchable documents and should be able to further reduce our office costs this year
by reducing our floor space for filing cabinets.

As the developers of creative and critical thinking methods, I can also recommend the excellent business brainstorming tool, Curio by Zengobi and the OmniGroup's excellent OmniGraffle drawing package
and OmniFocus organizer. These are Mac only business tools that really help make a message out of a mess. I'm sure there are similar packages for Windows users, but I haven't looked.
I am not affiliated with Apple, Zengobi, or OmniGroup–just a productive user.

Oh yes, about the statement about Deep Freeze:

"That means, gasp, you can actually, rationally work out system problems instead of running the dopey Apple repair protocols that imply you are an idiot for having any trouble at all with their brilliant machines. I love this idea."
The Windows equivalent packages are a great help in this way, but having run Macs for decades, I can say we've never had this kind of system problem. Backups are always a great idea, but Mac OS just doesn't have the kinds of system crud-down that Windows does.

From Walter Smithers, Vancouver, Canada

Lets not be too hard on this article.
Its not easy for the non-Mac user to get through the Win-centric world out there, so well done to Jonathon Blum for doing just that.
Also, well done for listing some good apps to buy for the Mac. Some research there – thank-you, Jonathon.

The negative comments here from Mac users need a lesson in good manners.
Rude high-handed remarks – I am inclined to think that this is some troll behaviour…..

And yes, I have been using Macs for many years in small business – but I still dont like FileMaker Pro.

Office for the Mac is very good – but give us a real database program that 'just works'.

From Ed, Portland OR

This guy is not informed. When was the last time he USED a Mac? The new mouse that ships with ALL towers is the Mighty Mouse, and it's better than any mouse I've ever used. 4 buttons, all customizable program functions, and a scrolling touch wheel.
This guy needs to get a clue.

From Ed Herd Philadelphia,Pa

The author is not informed about:
1) The mouse does everything.
2) Antartica has more ice than in past years.

From george, atlanta, ga

I really question how much the author knows about the Apple products. Otherwise the author would know that the standard mouse (Mighty Mouse) that has been shipping with macs since 2006 is a two button mouse.

From Jon W, UK

What on earth is this writer talking about? Apple's dumb mice? I would kill to be able to use my Apple mouse from home on my crappy Windows 2000 PC at work but the PC is too dumb to support all the features like horizontal scrolling and Expose. I suspect this guy has not used a Mac since there was only one button on a mouse. Move along.

From Jay G, Los Altos, CA

Surprisingly, Mac Office often leapfrogs the Windows version. So expect a solid release. One thing missing from Mac Office is a database. Filemaker (owned by Apple) is releasing Bento, which is designed to "play nicely" with Mac Office.

From Russ Prince, Apple Valley, MN

Another version of MS Office… yawn… with a feature copying Apple's Automator no less. Big deal. So this is supposed to make the Mac "small business ready?" Problem is, I and many folks out in the hinterland have been using Macs in our small businesses for going on 20 years now, and didn't even know we weren't supposed to! I think your writer needs to get his perspective refreshed a little more often.

Russ Prince
Apple Valley, MN
rprince@tcmac.com