MWSF - any chance a corporate desktop?

[ChrisH3677]

I just noticed Apple have a sizeable hole in their product line.

They don't have a corporate desktop model. It doesn't need a fancy graphics card or a big HDD, it doesn't need to be a PowerMac or an iMac. Though it does need an LCD.

 

[matthew24]

I agree, but it won't be easy, OSX puts high demands on the hardware. (memory and video)

 

[tjwett]

This is a good point. Never thought of it before. They do need something like this, couldn't hurt atleast. Perhaps an iMac, without the iLife suite. Instead bundled with Office, Keynote, Filemaker, QuickBooks Pro, NowUpToDate, Contact, some project management software, etc. That might be sufficient.

 

[bennetsaysargh]

you've just named the eMac with an LCD. minus the iLife, bundle in iOffice with other stuff, and you can call that the corperateMac.
(maybe a different name wouldn't hurt)

 

[ChrisH3677]

Something small like the Dell small form factor Optiplex GX270s.
As a desktop, Apple could give the monitor contract to a 3rd party (i.e. the monitor would be rebadged to Apple). This way they wouldn't need another product in their production system.

 

[benixau]

What they need is a Termial Services Solution (like Citrix/MS-RDP).

I think a Studio display with an pBook G4 500 w/256MB RAM on it would do the trick and give it an iPod 10GB HDD.
Gigabit Ethernet, MacOS Terminal Loader*, AP-X, lockable periperhals**, a single USB2+FW400+FW800+Audio-in/out on the front next to a power button.

This would have to be released next to MacOS X 10.x Terminal Server. Basically OS X Server with Terminal Services Provider*** software and protocols installed and with 2 versions - an unlimited clients version and a 10 clients version + selling of licenses in batches of 5. Terminal Services Provider*** would allow session saving - when you log off your session is written to the HDD(RAID Array) selected in prefs and can be resumed when you next log in - from anywhere (read home, across world).

You would be able to have programs installed locally (only done by admin and restricted to domain/subnet, selected in admin prefs for machine (can be done in batches)) to help with speed (things like QT, Safari, drivers for external hardware ……) You would also be able to veiw multimedia across the network (if speed is enough, else buffering would occur as QT is local) as this is something RDP and even Citrix can not do very well.

* My idea, like RDP a program that would be in the ROM of the Thin Clent but could also be installed as a program on ordinary macs allowing them to access the Tserver(s). It would also use onboard hardware to help generate common GUI info (such as menu bar, widgets) so that they would not have to be transmitted accross the network all the time (a flaw in RDP).

** A cover that allows just enough room for the cables to come through but not the plugs if pulled.

***My own name and idea.

#All ideas adapted from current solutions

 

[benixau]

hit quote instead of edit