Apple's (NASDAQ:APPL) introduction of OS X "Leopard" comes at a pivotal time for the enterprise computer market. Concerns over the cost of upgrading to Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) Vista, over Windows XP security, performance, and support costs, and the constant battle against spyware and viruses is leading the enterprise market to take a second look at the Mac as part of a new focus on desktop strategies.

With Mac sales growing at faster rate than the overall computer market, Apple has made tremendous strides against its Windows-based competition. Though overall Mac market share remains low, Mac "mindshare" continues to grow, partly as a result of the 100+ million iPods sold to date, and partly because of Apple's ability to deliver a platform largely free from the virus/spyware concerns that have plagued Windows users. A recent survey by SurveyU noted that 44% percent of college students planned to buy a Mac as their next computers , with 23% already using the Mac. In high-tech environments the Mac is quickly becoming the platform of choice for those who have the choice.

But enterprises have mostly avoided the Mac, save for roles such as graphic design and media development. Given the rise of the Mac in the consumer space, it is getting more and more difficult for enterprises to ignore an increasingly popular platform, especially since it offers the potential for reduced cost of ownership from ease of use and security improvements over Windows.

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