IBM having employees test out Macs at work, and they like them — a lot

April 16, 2008 | MG Siegler | Comments |

When both Microsoft and Apple were just young up-and-comers in the industry, one company stood above all others: IBM. The behemoth, which had dominated the tech landscape since the 1930s, was eventually overshadowed by the two in the operating system and then Internet age, and exited the PC business in 2005. Now they are just another big tech company reliant on Microsoft Windows — but that could soon change.

IBM’s Research division has launched a pilot program aimed at moving its workers away from Windows, according to an internal document RoughlyDrafted has obtained. The big benefactor here? Apple, a company which has been doing very well with the personal computer crowd but hasn’t yet been able to significantly penetrate large corporate environments.

Interestingly enough, IBM’s program goes so far as to give employees Apple MacBook Pro laptops instead of their traditional ThinkPads — a brand IBM developed but sold to Levono in 2005. Its stated reasons for doing so:

  • Alternative to Microsoft Windows
  • Less prone to security issues
  • Widely used in the academic world with which Research has close ties
  • Many new hires are more comfortable with the Mac and lately asking for it
  • Growing Mac community in Research and within IBM that finds the development environment on Mac more convenient
  • Growing acceptance of the Mac as a consumer and business oriented client platform
  • WPLC strategy includes significant investments in achieving the Mac platform parity

The limited first phase of the program ran from Ocotober 2007 until January 2008. When asked about the experience, 18 of the 22 participants who responded said the Mac offered a better experience than their PC. One rated it the same, and only three thought it was worse. These test subjects included research scientists, software engineers and a couple higher-level employees. Seven of them had little or no Mac experience prior to the test.

Not surprisingly, all of those who responded positively to the Mac experience, asked to keep the MacBook Pro rather than return to a ThinkPad.

IBM plans to expand this program in 2008 and the company has even launched an internal Mac@IBM website. Linux is another Non-Windows OS it is interested in promoting, but was not a part of this study.

If one of the largest corporations in the world is experimenting with using Apple computers, and its employees are preferring it at an 86 percent rate, perhaps it’s not too early for Microsoft to start worrying about their enterprise dominance.

This experiment has all the makings of another “I’m a PC/I’m a Mac” commercials in the future.

update: As commenter epc points out below, one of the IBM employees that participated in the program has a blog post with his thoughts. Interesting stuff.

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About the Author, MG Siegler

MG Siegler writes about technology trends and new media for VentureBeat, with a focus on mobile topics, social elements and key news stories. Before that, MG wrote about technology on his blog, ParisLemon. Originally from Ohio, MG attended the University of Michigan where he studied film. He's previously lived in Los Angeles where he worked in Hollywood and in San Diego where he did web development. He now lives in San Francisco.

  • JenK
    Maybe the author should disclose their own Apple preferences. This article was written by a Mac head. 86% of the limited sample preferred Mac. Give me a break. Could it be that their rich family gave them Macs for school? Looks like it because all but 7 had prior Mac experience. Of course they are going to prefer Mac.

    Mac does not have the software depth and breath of the Win OS. Why IBM would let some people in their organization throw away all the prior work is beyond me. More secure??? security has more to do with individuals using the systems properly than a deficient OS. SORRY BUT THERE IS JUST NO PRESENT REASON TO THROW AWAY ALL THE SOFTWARE AND WORK WE HAVE DONE FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS FOR SOME APPLE PIE IN THE SKY.
  • @JenK - I hardly see what my own preferences have to do with the data reported.

    Yes, the data sample is limited, but that was because it's a test for IBM, they plan on expanding it this year.

    The rest of your statements are somewhat confusing and contradictory.

    "Could it be that their rich family gave them Macs for school?" I fail see how that statement is a relevant or constructive in any way.

    "Looks like it because all but 7 had prior Mac experience." As you noted previously, it was a limited sampling, so 7 having no Mac experience at all out of 22 is a rather big percentage.

    As for "Of course they are going to prefer Mac.", that statement seems to imply that those who use Macs, prefer them over PCs, the exact point of the study you are saying is bogus.

    You sound very bitter about this. I would take a deep breath. It's just one experiment.
  • For years IBM employees received a discount (maybe 10%?) on Apple products, though I'm not sure if that ceased when Apple dropped the IBM–produced PowerPC chip.

    IBM Research is a different animal than pretty much any other part of IBM and has always been more receptive to individuals using software and hardware outside the "norm" whether it was Windows when OS/2 was the corporate religion, or Linux when Windows was the religion.

    The rest of IBM typically relies on an internal software load image of either Windows XP or a Linux build, which is formally supported through the internal I/T organization. For OS X to really take off within IBM will necessitate the development of a core image (basically a base OS with a bundled set of applications) by IGS, not a long process but maybe 3-6 months from when they decide to do it.

    Another interesting nugget in the Roughly Drafted article was that the internal Mac group has nearly 1000 users. A drop in the water of a 300k+ employee company but still sizeable given that prior to the PC group divestiture it was anathema to use anything but IBM brand PCs.
  • @epc - Great stuff. I found the note about the internal Mac group interesting as well, but didn't include since I'm sure I would get a commenter (such as the first one) pointing out that it was 1,000 out of 300K :) Thanks for all that info.
  • Guillermo
    I would have thought Linux would be a better alternative. And even more so if the subjects were "research scientists, software engineers and a couple higher-level employees". I can't see Apple competing against the advantages Linux has regarding software implementations.

    Well, ultimately it would depend on the users, and their approach towards the environment Linux and Macs portray. Maybe, to some users, it's irrelevant which laptop they use, as just the most basic tasks like email, word processing, and surfing the web are done with their laptops.

    Nonetheless, to move away from Windows, because of the hassles depending on Microsoft has, to move to a tighter, more controlled, environment as the Mac, just doesn't seem right. Linux is far superior regarding security, openness, customization... and the lists goes on.
  • fredb
    years ago, ibm embarked on a program to install linux across the company... years later, they stlil have a sales force carrying around pc's running windows.... why the hold-up i wonder?
  • fredb
    is there a notes client for the mac platform? there's a support nightmare. roll in a little websphere, some as/400 5250 emulation, a mainframe, and you have the future of corporate technology.... too funny.
  • @guillermo - linux is mentioned in IBM's plan as well, though this specific test was only with Macs.

    @fredb - I believe apple and ibm working on something, for the iPhone at least, so I have to assume they are for OS X in general.
  • What a Joke
    Wow, a statistical data size of a whole 22 people is going to change the world of computing ? Hardly. Why would you even bother posting this unless there was a meaningful result.

    To me - this is just IBM responding to its clientele asking for Macs. 99% (exaggeration) of people use windows because 99% (exaggeration)of the computers on the planet are windows driven or rely on windows software in some regard (servers etc etc).

    How could you possibly think that people are going to move to a platform that is no where near as not only entrenched in the market, which has more software than anything else and is perfect for developing.

    'A Growing Mac community in Research and within IBM that finds the development environment on Mac more convenient' - what 5 people ?

    Back up your statements with some more research before posting an article like this. Don't get me wrong - Im an avid Mac fan - but this is just not a well researched article which makes exaggerated statements.
  • @jokester - First of all, it is not my data, it is IBM's.

    Secondly, just because a trial size is small does not mean it is not worth writing about - especially considering this was just phase 1 of the trial and the subsequent ones will be larger.

    Third, the mentality that "99%" of people do something so nothing new should ever be tried is a dangerous one. There is clearly an expanding number of people out there underwhelmed or upset with what Microsoft has been putting out for its operating systems in recent years. Should they be forced to keep using it simply because it's the norm? I don't think so.

    Lastly, that statement you cite is not from me, but from IBM's study. Please try to read the article next time - it may just help your argument.
  • Former IBMer
    I recently left IBM 30 days ago and as a Mac user long before joining IBM, was interested and followed the Mac@IBM happenings. A couple of additions I would offer:

    - IBM itself did not launch the Mac@IBM website, but rather it was launched by a European employee in Research but the website is hosted on IBM servers. The website has a small but active forum community and links to more information and Mac downloads (such as Mac versions of Lotus Notes (v. 7), Office for Mac, and Lotus Sametime for example) for which IBM provides licenses.

    - IBM employees still receive an employee discount from Apple. One can purchase it from Apple's online store via a link found at the Mac@IBM website or they can show their IBM employee badge at any Apple retail store and receive the discount. The discounts vary depending on whether the item being purchased is software, consumer hardware or pro hardware.

    - Aside from the pilot program, a limited number of employees have received approval from their managers to get an Apple laptop as their primary work laptop. This is not widespread at all but shows there is willingness to allow the employees to have the equipment that will make them (the individual) most productive.

    As stated in the Roughly Drafted story, I see this as evidence of IBM's desire to offer choices to both its employees and also allow it to offer solutions to its customers who desire to use Macs in their companies.
  • Frank Forum
    Guillermo said:
    "Linux is far superior regarding security, openness, customization… and the lists goes on."

    Perhaps IBM employees do not need source code for the apps they are running. Perhaps they don't need the choice of window manager. I suspect they want to take the computers out of the box, turn them on, and start using them. Sorry, but Linux is not for most desktop users. If it was then it would not keep seeing articles claiming each year, for the past 5+ years, is going to be the year of Linux on the desktop.
  • Frank Forum
    What A Joke wrote:
    "How could you possibly think that people are going to move to a platform that is no where near as not only entrenched in the market, which has more software than anything else and is perfect for developing."

    Who thinks this? Did you read the article? Also, should we buy things based on what everyone else is buying? Does the platform with the most software become the best platform? How many of those apps do you actually use? With that logic we should all be using PalmOS based phones and playing video games on Atari 2600. The only joke around here is you!
  • luvwknd
    Coming from IBM, a company that has failed at OS developemnt & failed in the PC market place when they were the first in the industry, certainly doesn't say too much to the rest of the world!
    IBM has always been garbage so I don't expect their endeavour to use Mac's in the workplace is a trend that will carry anywhere outside of IBM.

    IBM = International Boat & Marine - They make the best anchors in the marine business!
  • Nicolas
    "Now they are just another big tech company reliant on Microsoft Windows — but that could soon change."

    You ignorant reporter, don't you know that IBM make z/OS the best mainframe OS. That they build multimillions dollars servers. They created IFL to allow linux on the bigiron.

    "IBM = International Boat & Marine - They make the best anchors in the marine business!"
    No wonder they fire you. The z/10 can virtualise 1500 windows box emulating a local network running at 10GBYTEs no bit.

    And with a dividend of more than 8,50 $ a share, I say the maritime industry is flourishing !
  • K8Tron
    Of course macs are fun, especially when your running Windows on them. I guess I don't understand the dilema. Macs are great, and so is Windows. Why is it every time I tell a "mac person" that I like Vista, they immediately judge and start getting all defensive, like I just told a "your mama joke".

    The problem with macs, in my opinion is the users. I would be ashamed to be called a mac user, because it implies that I am better than you somehow?
  • Kyle
    I'll have to agree that this story is poorly researched and Mac biased. Look at the stats: 15 out of the 22 already used Macs at some time; throw those opinions out. Let's hear the 7 that had little or no experience with Macs. This story should have investigated their opinions.

    I say it's biased toward Mac for several reasons. First, to say that 86 percent of the employees of "one of the largest corporations in the world" prefer Mac is so blatantly wrong. The fact is that 18 of 22 of the employees in THIS ONE STUDY prefer Mac. Also, Siegler throws in that little line saying, "These test subjects included research scientists, software engineers and a couple higher-level employees." Oh, so really smart people choose Macs... right. I'm sure the janitors still prefer PC's.
  • @FormerIBMer - Thanks for that info.

    @Kyle - You will need to ask IBM for those stats, they conducted the internal study. Again, not me. IBM. I will say that given the numbers it is only possible that a maximum of 3 of those 7 preferred a PC - considering only 3 in the entire study preferred the PC.

    You are taking my words out of context to say that I said "86 percent of the employees of “one of the largest corporations in the world” prefer Mac" - what I actually said was: "If one of the largest corporations in the world is experimenting with using Apple computers, and its employees are preferring it at an 86 percent rate..." That is clearly referring to the experiment I mention in that very sentence.

    As for the line that I "threw in" - again that is from the study. I did not make those people or their roles up. If you are going to comment, please try to read the story, not just skim it.

    And I can't speak to your last line, no janitors were involved in IBM's study.
  • JDS
    Thanks for the interesting article MG Seigler. I think it's great that even large corporations are willing to research alternatives to defacto standards.

    I'm a software developer and I've mostly used PCs with Windows because that was the only OS a lot of the software I require for developing my applications will run on. This is not so much the case today becuase a lot of software is targeting a wider variety of platforms.

    From a consumer point of view I'd rather have the choice to use which ever OS I prefer for the job in hand. My main gripe against Windows is that it is so resource intensive. I write a lot of my code, such as Java, .NET, HTML, etc., with simple text editors on whatever computer is handy because, lets face it, it's just text until you need to compile/interpret and run it.

    In fact, all my distributed applications using C++, Java and CORBA that I wrote at University (grad. in 2000) was written in the MS-DOS editor at home and complied on the Uni's machines because Windows slowed my cheap PC up too much and there was no way I could afford to duplicate all the UNIX and server environments the software was actually running on.

    Keep us up to date on any more research IBM or other companies do. It's hard enough getting anything other than a ThinkPad out of the company I work for let alone a non-Windows OS.
  • @JDS - thanks, I think a lot of people out there echo your sentiments despite some of the other commenters :)
  • Just a follow–up, an IBM blogger has described his switch to Macintoshes and OS X here:
    http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/blogs/page/Tu...
  • @epc - great follow-up thanks!

    from his post:

    "I don't know whether the IBM Research pilot was any great conspiracy to move towards Macs or not, and I honestly don't care.

    How do I feel now a month in with the MacBook Pro?

    Liberated. Free. Productive.

    In fact, upon retrospect, I wonder what the heck took me so long. "
  • lysdexia
    Levono -> Lenovo
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