In 1997, at the Gartner Symposium and ITExpo97, Michael Dell, when asked what he’d do to revive the “troubled” Apple, “Why, I’d shut down the company and give back the money to the shareholders.” Mr. Dell apparently was not aware at the time that Apple had over $2 billion in cash reserve. As we all know now, the investments made then and subsequently by Apple and other related companies have certainly paid off for Mac-based businesses and users alike.

At OWC, we, too have have invested. The difference, is that we’ve invested in providing high-quality products and services to a variety of computing users, regardless of computing software platform—Mac OS X, Mac OS 9, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Linux to name just a few. However, we are specifically known for our service to the Macintosh community.

Aside from a very similar customer base, a common thread with Apple and OWC is the practical aspect of of using and supporting Mac computing. Whether applied to home use or for enterprise users, the Total Cost of Computing analysis still holds true today.

When you look at the ground-up approach that Apple takes in providing hardware and software products, it’s no wonder that user loyalty is so strong. It has been routinely stated that “Macs are expensive” based on many comparisons that show that initial expense of Mac products is slightly higher.

However, a more accurate comparison comes to light when you consider Total Cost of Computing, or the actual usage of the hardware/software product, usually after a new user has used it for at least a few months. There are many variables to consider here, such as downtime, maintenance costs, and security. As most of the computing public is coming to realize, there just is no comparison any more for the Apple solution versus other options. Apple nearly always comes out ahead.

OWC products fall into a similar—if not related—vein. OWC has made the necessary investments and a large number users have found that OWC products withstand the demanding rigors of serious computing work. The Total Cost of Computing equation comes into play when you compare our products and the service that is available against the competition. While many of these benefits are not realized until after a short time after product and/or service is used, the difference becomes clear over time. The personalized service, before and after the initial purchase, often comes into play, from our helpful sales staff to our knowledgeable Tech Support staff. If you add this into the Total Cost of Computing, going to OWC for your expansion and upgrade needs shows the best value.

OWC’s prices are generally lower than the competition’s to start with. But in the rare incident where it isn’t, rather than wondering whether OWC will match “their” price, perhaps the more accurate question may be whether “they” can match OWC’s overall value.

Odds are: they can’t.