Software, Not Hardware, Should Guide PC Buying

From smSmallBiz

YOU'VE SEEN THE commercials: Laid-back, slacker Mac-boy trumps uptight, bumbling PC suit. Yes, they're amusing. But the Mac or PC question is no laughing matter for small-business owners.

Not too long ago, unless you were running a graphics-design or architectural firm, the answer pretty much would've been to go with a PC running Microsoft ( MSFT ) Windows. That's because Apple's ( AAPL ) operating system was historically better for graphics-intensive applications like Adobe Systems' ( ADBE ) Photoshop, but Windows was ubiquitous when it came to number-crunching spreadsheets and other "serious" applications.

That's not really so much the case anymore. As Macs have grown in popularity with the consumer crowd, they're increasingly seen as a solution for small and medium-sized businesses. But that, of course, only makes it harder for businesses to choose. So first things first: Before you run out to Best Buy ( BBY ) or the Apple Store, it's imperative to figure out which software will be most critical to running your shop, says Jack E. Gold, founder and principal analyst of J. Gold Associates, an information technology research and consulting firm.

"The most important question is what software do you need to run, but unfortunately that's usually the last thing people think of," Gold says. "People generally buy emotionally and then try to figure out how to make it work later, and that's the wrong approach."

Remember that Macs claim less than 10% of the U.S. computer market, so there's far less software for them compared with Windows. Many law firms, for example, use Corel's ( CREL ) WordPerfect for word processing, but the publisher stopped developing it for Mac several years ago. Similarly, if you own a financial firm and you're planning to subscribe to a Bloomberg terminal, that's PC-only, too.

But the biggest software downside comes with accounting applications. Intuit's ( INTU ) QuickBooks is far and away the leading bookkeeping suite for small businesses. Whether you keep your own books or hire an accountant, chances are you'll be running this program, and the version for Mac is widely regarded as disaster. That doesn't slam-dunk the debate in PCs' favor, however. Macs still have a lot going for them when it comes to small-business use, says Edward Eigerman, founder and principal of Eigerman Consulting, an IT deployment specialist.

"If you're starting from scratch and you don't have industry-specific application needs, you can do really well with the Mac," Eigerman says. "Overall, Mac users spend less time supporting and fixing their systems and a lot less time worrying about their computers."

That's an important concern if you're going to be your own IT department. For the average user, Macs are generally easier to set up and maintain. They just work, as the cliche goes. Furthermore, because Mac has such a relatively small share of the market, hackers haven't devoted much time trying to exploit the operating system with viruses. It's not that Macs are virus-proof; it just hasn't been worth the effort to try to compromise them. As such, there has yet to be a credible global virus threat to Mac users. "Longer term I expect that will change," Eigerman says, "but for now you can get away with not buying antivirus software."

Another advantage Mac boasts is Time Machine, a backup feature that comes included with the operating system. "Backup is a huge issue and most small- to medium-sized business have no backup or insufficient backup," says Eigerman. "If you lost everything, how long would you stay in business?" True, there's nothing stopping you from backing up your PC, but it does mean adding extra software. Time Machine makes absolutely certain that you'll protect your data.

Macs are also benefiting from the move to software-as-a-service, which allows subscribers to access applications via the Internet rather than buying the programs outright and installing them on hard drives. QuickBooks might not work well on the Mac, but loads of other programs do because software-as-a-service is web-based and runs within a browser. That gives Mac users access to a range of formerly PC-centric programs. For example, Salesforce.com ( CRM ), the leader in on-demand customer relationship management software, has no issues working on a Mac.

Even though Mac may be catching up, Windows still rules when it comes to compatible software, so we'll give them a win in that column. As for Mac, they win on ease of use, stability and security. That leaves cost, a contentious point of debate.

On the one hand, you can get a PC for as little as $500, about the same as a Mac Mini. In both cases you'll need to shell out extra cash for a monitor, keyboard and mouse. But either configuration will likely leave you feeling underpowered. Slap a bigger hard drive and more RAM in a PC and the price will quickly creep up. Upgrade that Mini to an iMac and you're looking at $1,200. On the face of it, PCs look to be cheaper upfront, but there are other costs to consider.

"When I buy PCs for my clients, the initial upfront savings is not that great. You do save a few hundred dollars," Eigerman says. "Once you get it into a configuration that is really usable, the price differential gets smaller and smaller. And you save money in the long run through reduced support needs."

Gold isn't so sure. "In my opinion, Macs are overpriced," he says. "Not that you don't get value, but if you look what you're getting from a hardware perspective, you can get a pretty nice PC for five hundred bucks."

There's still no clear-cut winner in the Mac vs. PC debate, but small-business owners need not despair. The differences between the platforms are getting smaller all the time. Let your decision be made by the software you'll be using most. That, after all, is why you're buying a computer in the first place. Most important, it'll ensure that you devote your valuable time to running your business, not your computer.

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