Intel Xserve: The final review

While Apple’s server and enterprise level offerings are arguably beyond the scope of MacUser, I felt compelled to mention InfoWorld’s Intel Xserve review, as they note many features of the Xserve that I enjoy on regular consumer and pro-sumer Macs:

There are no subscriptions, no priority update service fees, and no client, device, mailbox or CPU licenses. None of the services is grayed out pending your purchase of an unlock key. Xserve has no try-and-buy, no time bombs and no trip wires telling you that you need to upgrade from Express this to Professional that. Xserve never phones home to beg for Apple’s permission to use the server software already loaded on your system.

That alone is one of my main motivations for buying Macs. You buy it, plug it in, and it just works. No “shovelware” free ISP junk, no trial CD burning programs, no Norton anything — just a clean Desktop, ready to roll. Granted, you always have the option of re-installing the system when you open the box, but doing so would ruin the user experience which Apple puts so much effort into perfecting. I’m glad to see that this thinking hasn’t changed for Apple, even in corporate settings which are notorious for red tape and hidden costs. Bringing their legendary ease-of-use to the enterprise will surely bring Apple nothing but praise, and the new Intel-based Xserve is at the center of it all.

[via MacDevCenter]