I think that as long as there is such a thing as a “target audience” for Mac, it pretty much can’t dominate.
Okay, here you compare your realistic situation to a comically gross exaggeration. Six techs for 75 PCs? Come on! The last place I worked at, I did PC repairs, upgrades, new installations, etc., for 40 PCs, dealt with all network and Internet-related problems, set up a VPN and a wireless network, and programmed a database. I did it all myself, and I only worked part time! Yet I still ended up spending at least half of that 20 hours per week reading the SDMB for lack of anything better to do.
Well, the article says right up front that it’s pure speculation. And I have to wonder if that’s the best thing the Mac Mini has done: made people think about what it could be used for. I’ve heard all kinds of ideas – a video server, a general media hub, an iTunes server catered for PC users with iPods, an in-dash car MP3 player – that all pretty much revolve around the idea of its being a “spare” computer. Which means that it’s perfect for Apple’s desktop computer lineup. The iMacs are entry-level, the Mac mini is for hobbyists or as a dedicated media center, and the G5’s are for the high end.
Apple’s not going to “dominate” anytime soon. Even if everything in the article were dead-on correct, and Sony were teaming up with Apple to push the Mac mini as a home video server (why they’d do that, when they’re also in the same market with DVR’s, the PSX, and the Vaio line, is beyond me), then they still won’t dominate. Even if they took every single TiVo user, look what’s happening to TiVo – it’s flailing and is constantly rumored to be going under.
There’s no way the Mac Mini is going to be as huge as the iPod. For one thing, the profit margin isn’t as high as with the iPod. And the mini’s a lot more utilitarian than the iPod; sure, nerds such as myself think it’s cool as hell, but to the mass market it’s never going to be as cool as a portable MP3 player. The best it’s going to do is make inroads into the PC market; more people using PCs are going to be inclined to get a mini as their “first Mac.”
I want to emphasize this point, along with rjung’s.
Sure, when Macs become more popular, more bad efforts will be directed at it. But I have a hard time believing that obscurity is the only thing protecting it from the same amount of malware and viruses that is directed at Windows. Surely someone by now would have successfully released a Mac OS X virus into the wild by now. Someone. Surely. But so far, I’ve heard of nothing, other than a “proof of concept” (which was never released into the wild). With the amount of hatred directed at Macs, surely someone would have gone to the trouble of trying to mess Macs up by now.
I’ve got a Mac Mini. I ordered it right after it was announced and I’m one of the lucky ones that has already got mine. It’s pretty cool. You can’t believe how much desk space this thing saves. And it’s simple to set up. And quiet—my goodness, it is so quiet you forget it is on.
I think it’ll be used for many things, but it can serve as a “main” computer for those who are financially challenged. I couldn’t afford a G5 iMac or G5 tower, but my old G4 tower (while still useful) is getting long in tooth. This Mini is a definite step up for me.
The Mac message boards are hopping with first-time Mac users who are trying out the Mac through the Mini. I don’t think the Mini will be as big as iPod, but it’s big—at least for now. I’ve never seen such “switcher” activity like this. (Some people are calling themselves “adders,” since they are adding the Mac to their PC collection, rather than getting rid of their PC and going over to the Mac.)