How about OTT vs (IT vs OT)

We've seen the real struggle between IT and OT that can cripple a companies employees ability to get work done. There is another one that lingers. I'm going to call it OTT (yes, over the top).

This relates to an all too often preference for no real reason for one type of compute platform. This is usually a choice between a MAC and a Windows machine. Unless you exclusively have only one type of machine due to a valid reason <and I mean exclusively, not an exception for the VP of marketing, or the CEO or anyone; exclusively> then you are supporting multiple machines anyway and limiting access to only one is just an emotional religion to one brand.

We all know the tricks. If you want a MAC in a Windows world, then you need it for development of Apple apps. If you want Windows in an Apple world, then you need it to run development kits or other low level hardware access peripherals. At least those are the "secret handshake" reasons you put on the request forms.

I worked at a company when I was in technical field support at a time when a windows machine took 10 minutes to startup and the MAC took 10s. I knew the secret handshake but decided to educate by letting people know the reason I wanted it was the startup time. My request was denied and I further learned of folks thinking it was comical a reason.

Here is why you don't want to be a religious fanatic and not listen to your field folks. When you have an important meeting with a customer, and all customer meetings are important, even if you get in the room and are seated on the hour for a one hour meeting, a 10 minute startup just reduced your presentation time by 16%. That's assuming you have the full hour. Is an extra 16% customer face time worth one machine versus another? Some companies don't think so.

Today, the difference in startup time is mostly equivalent between platforms. But there are plenty of other reasons actual users may be more efficient one way or the other. Deming taught to improve iteratively using actual field input. Literally, writing about Japan's great progress in manufacturing in the 60's Deming noted, "A typical Japanese executive, it seemed to me, is never too successful to learn a better way." Adding roadblocks to employees, and particularly because of sandboxes, or personal preferences, is putting snakes in the way and not creating ladders. Snakes don't just cause employees to slip, they cause a company to lose competiveness.

What are your experiences, good, or frustrating?