I wrote back in September about IT's hidden truth: everything is too expensive having only cursory knowledge of what it really cost to run a business.
I continue to be flummoxed not just by the Windows Idiot Tax (the additional costs for using MS products) but also by the general costs of running a technology department. Marketing and pricing tactics from big vendors (MS, Dell, Oracle to name a few) continue to be confusing and occasionally arbitrary.
The best advice I have is to do your research. It's not that hard to figure out baseline and incremental costs. I also encourage people to try out other vendor gear. We primarily have Dell computers at my office but I have started mixing in HP servers and have been looking at IBM and Acer for PCs. It's very easy to be lulled into a single vendor coma, don't choose IT products based on the fact that you already have them or that your vendor tells you it's easier just to use all of their offerings.
Choice is good. Take advantage of the breadth and depth of technology in the marketplace.
Posted by Dave Rosenberg on December 24, 2005 03:34 PM
