Cringely and IT

Posted by Pierre Igot in: Technology
August 18th, 2003 • 4:37 pm

Robert X. Cringely’s recent column on IT productivity has sparked a few heated discussions, especially because of the questions he raises about the absence of Macintosh computers in large mainstream organizations:

Ideally, the IT department ought to recommend the best computer for the job, but more often than not, they recommend the best computer for the IT department’s job.

This isn’t exactly news. And I doubt that Cringely writing about it will make any difference. But I guess his column might have an “educational” value, at least for some people.

Del Miller at MacOpinion.com provides a few additional arguments. (But someone at MacOpinion.com needs to help him with his who’s/whose problem…)

What it all boils down to is inertia. As the recent worm attack on Windows illustrates, it’ll take nothing less than a major, international technological disaster caused by Microsoft products to finally cause a significant number of people to “see the light” and initiate real change.

I cannot help but note the analogy with the current political situation and the apparent inability of the United States as a nation to demonstrate humility.

Until disaster strikes, all we “thinking different” people can do is basically go about our business and hope that we are not part of the “collateral damage” that will undoubtedly occur when this political/technological hubris comes down in a big, loud crash.


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