Real World News.."And so it goes"

[tobeth@lava.net (Beech Family)]

To: Listmembers: Appraising Microsoft List:
        <http://www.appraising-microsoft.org/>
    cc.Don Crabb
        <doncrabb@maccentral.com>


From: Heather Wimberly Beech
        <tobeth@lava.net>:

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While we move ever hopefully forward in our quest to dismantle the Windows
World As We Know It..out there in Nine-to-Five-Land..real people continue
to have *no choice* as to the computer hardware and software they are
forced to use every day at the workplace.This not based on anything overtly
done by the Billster and his Cronies..but rather on the attitudes of
characters like the CIO mentioned in this piece.

I post this to the list..Lest We Forget
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http://www.maccentral.com/features/crabbsapple.shtml

April 10, 1998
By Don Crabb,
Contributing Editor and Columnist


As Apple trends-up in 1998, and heads into its second fiscal quarter
earnings report next Wednesday (during which the company WILL announce
another profitable quarter, which is very big news in a quarter that's
traditionally the toughest for all computer makers), news surrounding the
company continues to be mixed, at best.

The latest news to arrive at my email stop is of the "not good" variety,
I'm afraid. According to sources inside and outside the company, Raytheon
Systems, which absorbed previously Mac-strong Hughes Aircraft last
December, is set to publish its Desktop Hardware Standard. A standard that
specifies Windows NT for all Raytheon corporate desktops (including those
at its Hughes Aircraft unit), and Windows 95 for all Raytheon corporate
laptops. As one source noted, "Even existing projects which have lots of
Macs are being questioned, on the presumption that Macs can't do anything a
PC can't do also."

Ouch! The big lie told again! This is getting to be a broken record, isn't it?

Hughes, of course, was already well-along in the now oft-repeated Mac
dumpage plan: having moved from a 45% Mac, 40% Windows 3.1, 15% UNIX mix
about three years ago to becoming a dominant Windows shop, where only 10%
of new corporate desktops are Power Macs. Not even Apple's G3 assault has
stemmed this tide, unfortunately.

The new Raytheon non-Mac standard has been expected for some time.
According to a senior Raytheon manager, "Our new CIO hates Apple and Macs.
Period. Whether that is rational or not is not part of his analysis."

Yet another source close to the situation confirmed that "The CIO of
Raytheon is known to dislike Apple and Macs already, in direct contrast to
the previous Hughes Aircraft IT management that was typically neutral most
of the time. This is his [the new CIO's] chance to put a big mark on those
parts of Raytheon that are new to his domain of influence, namely
everything that was formerly Hughes Aircraft."

Ah, there you have it! Yet another CIO who wants to "make their mark" by
moving their shops from anything to Windows NT (and to a lesser extent,
Windows 95). If I had a nickel every time I've seen this same nonsense at
other corporations, I'd have a enough to retire in style.

Naturally, this decision has been kept close to Raytheon's corporate IT
vest. "Right now, all we know is that this decision has been made, but it
has not been formally announced anywhere to management or users except for
a very small subset. We can only hope the users revolt in NASA fashion,
although I don't predict that happening," said a Raytheon insider.

Could the Raytheon CIO have valid reasons for dumping Macs and going with
all Windows all the time? Of course; you bet. But the way the decision has
been made and disseminated argues that this is simply another example of a
CIO making an issue out of a non-issue to their internal political
advantage.

If not, if the decision has REAL, DEMONSTRABLE benefits for Raytheon's
former and potentially new Mac users (that are quantifiable by
industry-accepted metrics), I invite the CIO of Raytheon to explain them to
all of us. He may have this column space for that purpose, anytime.

The ball's in your court, Raytheon.


Don welcomes your feedback at doncrabb@maccentral.com
© Copyright 1998 MacCentral, Inc. All rights reserved.



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Heather Wimberly Beech,A.I.A.
Beech Family Website
http://www.lava.net/~tobeth

tobeth@lava.net
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