Office Rat-A-Tat: Mac VS PC?

Yes, I've posted about this subject in the past. But here's the thing: the debate is ever fascinating and always changing. Since our last foray, Apple switched over to Intel chips. They're also able to run many PC programs via Virtual PC. Apple has also taken a larger, er, byte out of the market share, now owning about 5%.

So it's worth exploring once more, especially as it relates to work. In my office, for instance, most of us have PCs, except the art directors, who have Macs. (At home, my wife and I have both platforms, though I use our Mac almost exclusively.)

My boss has been pushing for Macs all around, but our IT dept claims they're more difficult to maintain, protect, and update. I say this is a bunch of hooey. I say, what it really comes down to is price. Imagine the discount HP gave my non-profit when the order came in for 200 units. Apple doesn't really shave much off bulk orders, even for dot.orgs, and let's face it, Macs are a pantload more expensive to begin with"¦ so"¦ it makes economical sense to go with HP.

My hunch is PCs are also easier to service, making them better suited for most large offices. My hunch is, we're actually leasing our PCs, and when one goes down, a clone is swapped in at little-to-no extra cost. So I get it. I also get that Outlook is easier to sync with a BlackBerry, or at least my IT guys tell me.

And don't get me wrong, the PC I use at the office is perfectly adequate and mostly reliable. Still, every time I pass through the art directors' wing, and see those 20+" cinema displays, I do start to salivate a little.

What about you all? Where do you stand on Mac VS PC in the office? Which one is better and why?

Past Office Rat-A-Tats: Dangerous Jobs America's 10 Worst-Paying Jobs When typos get in the way Is it okay to steal from your office?