Seattle's new Mayor wants to spurn Microsoft - for Apple
Things are changing in Seattle, where Mayor-elect Mike McGinn wants to chuck the Windows-based PCs out the window - to make room for the Mac.
That’s because, unlike outgoing Mayor Greg Nickels or runner-up, Joe Mallahan, iPhone-using McGinn wants the best tools for the job, running the city, 13 miles from Microsoft's Redmond campus.
Did we mention yet that Microsoft is based in Redmond, a suburb of Seattle? We have now. That’s all we’re saying about it, OK?
Here’s what the Mayor-elects “people” said:
"We've asked the city IT folks about it [switcing to Macs] and they're looking into it for us," said transition spokesman Aaron Pickus. "They were talking about new computers for the mayor's office anyway, so right now we are looking to see if Mike and the mayor's staff can work on Macs."
Another detail - the transition team rejected the BlackBerry devices they were offered when they took that post, choosing instead to take on four iPhones to handle the job.
In an echo of this excellent piece in the Wall Street Journal (which basically points out just how consumers mostly use better technology than they get to use in the office), Pickus also points out: "It is in part a way to stick with the technology we were most comfortable with during the campaign, and in our personal experience.”
Via: Microsoft Blog
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Comments (21)
BITCH SLAP TO MS!
Redmond isn't a suburb of Seattle. It's a separate city.
Smaller cities that are part of the extended Metropolitan Area of a large city are called suburbs. They are still separate cities.
True, but it is in what is, by official consent, known as part of the "Greater Seattle Area".
Microsoft is based in Redmond, a town located to the east across Lake Washington from Seattle. Check Google maps.
And note that this request is only for Macs in the mayor's office and not the city offices as a whole. The city IT director is a complete Microsoft fanboy and has actively worked against Macs in the past. Gonna be interesting to watch this one. Maybe it will open up some jobs for Mac savvy folks.
Seattle is the largest city in the region and has been for decades. Only recently have towns such as Redmond, Bellevue and Kirkland started expanding and coming into their own.
Regardless of their location seperated by a lake and/or the fact that they have buildings taller than five floors now - they are still considered "suburbs" of Seattle much as they were when people settled there back in the day on the out-skirts of the Seattle city limits.
People should be able to use what they're most comfortable with, as long as it doesn't cost the tax payer extra money just to use something else. This is a non-story.
Why is it a non-story? We're on a 9-5 Mac site, so when an incoming political team in a major city, and one where Microsoft is located in its backyard, is pushing for Macs, it's NEWS!
Comfort shouldn't be the only reason, but there are costs in learning curves, etc., so if the incoming team is Mac-based, even if it costs a bit more upfront (less in ongoing tech support down the road), then Seattle should embrace it-- even outside of the Mayor's team!=
If the city IT guy is so anti-Mac, then maybe it's time to find a replacement!
Many users have their own platform preferences. If they are supported in their own choices, they become more productive and happier. Systems administrators should be trying to support their users, not dictate limited options. In this broader context, it is difficult to quantify the increase or decrease in cost in supporting a heterogenous computing environment.
Mac's cant comply with the required security restrictions needed to be used for governmental purposes. Why do you think the president's staff can't use iphones. They cannot be secured to be used in a governmental settings. Mac's suffer the same thing. Oh also why is the number 1 selling software on Mac's a Microsoft Product. Office 2008. Go figure.
Blah blah blah. Sounds like a smart move in contract negotiations to get some discount on their new contract with Microsoft...
They have finally got a forward thinking intelligent mayor in Seattle.
I should hit the new mayor up for a job....
Nothing more than politics. He could probably care less about what OS the city is using.
I think Politics would of been McMicroGates making the greater Seattle Area Free online an Prompting His goods here. Preference is in the hands of the user, every time Im in one of the Apple stores which are pretty strategically located in the realm.. there BBbusy ! and with the troubles microsoft keeps having, Well that brings the Prenuptial thought. I know businesses Have Mac in the house, Not sure of any Cities. I don't think it's a Spurn, just a better mate.
I knew that there was a reason that I voted for this guy other than the fact that he is articulate and is forward thinking!
As a Seattle resident, this is outrageous.
Regardless of ones computer preference, it is unjustifiable in a city that currently has a massive budget deficit to be talking about wasting money (yes, it is a waste - it will have no effect on his production) on a frivolous but large scale computer implementation.
I'm sure with this change we will be funding a bunch of hunyaks to get trained and experience all kinds of government screw ups because of the change.
NO.
NO.
NO.
Having worked in city government for 5 years, the amount of time lost to Winbloze updates, corrupted software, and the bloated features of Office is staggering. If I had the money that is related to lost productivity as workers sit waiting for updates or for a tech to troubleshoot system hangups, I would be even richer than Gates. My current position allowed me to use my Powerbook (not even a current MacBook) with Bento and iWork. The ease of use combined with the consistency and coordination of the software features has enhanced my productivity. For six weeks, I have encountered no system lockups, no reboots, no corrupted files, none of the frustrating and non-productive problems that Winbloze creates. No outrageous support costs to deal with, either. Tech loves Winbloze because it has built-in and lifetime job protection.
You know you here all these people talk about how easy macs are and how secure they are. What is funny is that all the things we knew as a 'Virus' are a thing of the past. Malware or Malicious Software is the 'Virus' of today and is computer agnostic. It attacks and hurts both Mac's and PC based systems.
Now Stability? Well when 91.5% of the worlds systems run on PC based system and less than 5% run on a Mac that is a hard math to do. Most 'hackers' just didnt bother back in the 'virus' days to write one for Mac's but they do now. Viruses of today known as Malware are OS agnostic and affect all. Mac's aren't more secure or safe. Fact is, their OS is not ISO certified on top of ICSSG or half a dozen other security related certifications it doesn't have. Why because its a simple based system. Not designed for security or massively networked environments.
Oh on a side note. Why is Mac's number 1 selling piece of software Microsoft Office 2008? Just kinda wonder if Microsoft is so wrong why Mac's love running its software.
Oh one more side note. So If mac's run on PC Hardware and PC's run on PC hardware wouldn't that make Mac's a PC? Something to ponder.
"MacTheIdiotsComputer" says: What is funny is that all the things we knew as a 'Virus' are a thing of the past. Malware or Malicious Software is the 'Virus' of today and is computer agnostic. It attacks and hurts both Mac's and PC based systems.
Oh, really? LOL... You are so entirely clueless.
Thanks for revealing the astonishing depth of your own ignorance, and thus invalidating what you say so that I don't even have to bother.
Maybe you should shorten your username. I'd suggest just "Idiot."
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