Peter --

Judging from the responses, you've been given a very good idea about
the problems you will be facing if you issue an edict.  I'll just
throw in my two cents' worth to add to your data set:

1.  Mac users will absolutely put up a fight no matter who is funding
their computers.  My employer pays my health insurance, but I don't
want to be told that I can choose my PCP from a list of only one
physician.  Same thing goes for Mac devotees.

2.  I strongly endorse Charlie Hathaway's comments.

3.  I work in a mixed PC/Mac environment -- I have one of each...
half my group has PCs, half have Macs (a few SPARCs in there, too).
There are pros and cons for each environment.  I have experienced
fewer problems with Macs than PCs.

4.  For institution-wide applications, the web is a boon to
side-stepping this battle completely.  I'd be wary of anything that
won't work on the web.

5.  Our parent organization permits justified purchase of Macs when a
grant is providing the funds.  There are periodic IS threats to issue
an PC-only edict.  We also have been able to purchase Macs with
institutional funds when appropriately justified.  We are provided
with IS support, though I provide the bulk of the end-user software
and hardware support for one of our Mac groups; the networking issues
are left up to IS.  Perhaps departments/individuals who want to have
Macs could be encouraged/supported to become front-line
trouble-shooters who then interface with IS for more difficult
issues.

6.  Do you have any UNIX, etc., workstations?  What are you planning
to do about those?  Have you considered having one person (or more,
as necessary) identified to work strictly with Macs (or other
non-Windows machines)?  This would alleviate the need for all your
support staff to be Mac-friendly.

7.  I encourage you to listen to what your Mac users say are the
reasons they need a Mac.  Perhaps you can offer alternatives --
perhaps loan a Windows machine for their use and experimentation.
Perhaps their field of expertise has specialized programs.

Good luck!

-- Evelyn Ford
-----------------------------------------------------
Evelyn J. Ford, Research Administrator
Department of Human Genetics
MCP-Hahnemann School of Medicine
Allegheny University of the Health Sciences
Allegheny Campus
Pittsburgh PA 15212
voice 412.359.4475
fax 412.359.6488
xxxxxx@pgh.auhs.edu

>>> "Peter J. Dolce" <xxxxxx@CCVAX.MMC.EDU> - 11/10/98 3:45 PM >>>
Our school is considering standardizing computer hardware, including
the
computers used by faculty members.  One proposal is that we go
entirely
to PCs and eliminate all Macs.  Has anyone tried to standardize
faculty
computers?  Did it work?  What was the response from faculty?   What
would happen if you restricted or forbid the purchase of Macs?  Would
like to hear especially from medical schools or research-intensive
institutions.