I just saw this floating around FriendFeed as several folks linked to different reports of the same thing. That being that Salesforce.com is rumored to be ditching the PC platform and moving all their 4,000 employees onto brand new Macs. Apparently this is being done for the singular reason of security with the thinking that it will be cheaper in the long run to be using Macs without security related software than to run PCs with security software.

Gee can anyone out there spot the total stupidity of this move by Salesforce.com?

Not only have they not seem to have taken into account the inherent cost of having to get people up to speed using a completely different operating system; but what about all the cost of the other types of software used. However the stupidest assumption being made in my opinion is the one where they won’t need security software.

I realize that Macheads like to beat their chests and brag about how secure their Macs are but that is only a temporary situation at best. Mac has been a secure platform only due to its relatively insignificant market share. There has never really been any real incentive for script kiddies and other malware authors to target the Mac. That landscape will most definitely change as Mac increases its numbers in the desktop and laptop workspace.

This also raises the question that if this is the primary reason for Salesforce.com shifting to the Mac do you really want to entrust them with your data - even if by a round about way as their workforce comes into contact with it. The idea that this company thinks that supposed costs savings can justify a reduction in security of any kind would scare the hell out of me.

Conversation Tags: Apple, Mac, PC, switching, Salesforce