Over the past few days the whole Duke/iPhone controversy has basically reminded me that the Windows-centric IT world is basically afraid of Apple.
Those unfamiliar with the story should scan the following articles:
Duke Uni Eyes Apple iPhone As Source Of Wireless Network Woes (CNN Money)
iPhone may not be cause of Duke wireless woes (MacWorld)
Update on Duke’s wireless network and Apple’s iPhones (Duke University News & Communications)
The Problem With Duke’s iPhone Problem (WSJ Online)
Basically Apple’s iPhone is fingered as bringing down a complex university wifi network. Nobody else has the issue with iPhone users. Duke’s IT claims it’s Apple’s problem and their complex Cisco hardware should be fine. But after all is said and done, Cisco finds and fixes a flaw that the iPhone somehow exposed. Nobody really seems to have the full-on technical explanation here but the point was that folks were way to quick to fear the newest wireless device on the block.
I’ve seen this my whole career – sometimes it is an Apple issue – they make as many mistakes as any company, but since the dawn of OS X and Linux there is a much larger push for standards from Apple so it’s harder and harder for any tech guy to assume that Apple is somehow subverting wifi standards. Believe me, if Apple had a network killer in their wifi implementation they wouldn’t be selling so much product – the iPhone has been reviewed with great wifi speed and battery life (over other protocols), a selling point if there ever was one.
Any other vendor would be the same way – if your networking failed that bad on your mobile device everyone would know right out of the gate. Duke is clearly trying to be professional in the wake of a one of their IT staff’s unprofessional accusations and have set the record straight.
Still, I’m sure I’ll be talking to someone at some point in the future who will claim that they won’t ever buy an iPhone because they heard that it brings down wifi networks…
IT Still Doesn’t Understand Apple
Over the past few days the whole Duke/iPhone controversy has basically reminded me that the Windows-centric IT world is basically afraid of Apple.
Those unfamiliar with the story should scan the following articles:
Duke Uni Eyes Apple iPhone As Source Of Wireless Network Woes (CNN Money)
iPhone may not be cause of Duke wireless woes (MacWorld)
Update on Duke’s wireless network and Apple’s iPhones (Duke University News & Communications)
The Problem With Duke’s iPhone Problem (WSJ Online)
Basically Apple’s iPhone is fingered as bringing down a complex university wifi network. Nobody else has the issue with iPhone users. Duke’s IT claims it’s Apple’s problem and their complex Cisco hardware should be fine. But after all is said and done, Cisco finds and fixes a flaw that the iPhone somehow exposed. Nobody really seems to have the full-on technical explanation here but the point was that folks were way to quick to fear the newest wireless device on the block.
I’ve seen this my whole career – sometimes it is an Apple issue – they make as many mistakes as any company, but since the dawn of OS X and Linux there is a much larger push for standards from Apple so it’s harder and harder for any tech guy to assume that Apple is somehow subverting wifi standards. Believe me, if Apple had a network killer in their wifi implementation they wouldn’t be selling so much product – the iPhone has been reviewed with great wifi speed and battery life (over other protocols), a selling point if there ever was one.
Any other vendor would be the same way – if your networking failed that bad on your mobile device everyone would know right out of the gate. Duke is clearly trying to be professional in the wake of a one of their IT staff’s unprofessional accusations and have set the record straight.
Still, I’m sure I’ll be talking to someone at some point in the future who will claim that they won’t ever buy an iPhone because they heard that it brings down wifi networks…