Preferred Machine Syndrome (PMS) and Technology Evangelism In the mid-1980s, I was part of a management team at a hospital in New Mexico that made a decision to bring NCR MS-DOS based PCs and a Unix based supermicrocomputer into the hospital. The application that most managers wanted was Lotus 1-2-3, so it seemed like a reasonable decision to purchase PCs. Payroll was the main application on the supermicrocomputer and NCR had a solid product. Overall, I felt that the computing team had done a solid job. The staff had asked for a Phillips-screw driver and we didn’t say: “Here what you need is a hammer.” Just after the rollout, I got my first taste of PMS. I got my chops busted by a lab tech over not picking Apple and a senior manager complained that we did not buy IBM for the supermicrocomputer.
Over the years, I have been staggered by the emotions and attachment some IT Professionals show to a particular brand. I was even got caught up in it: I bleed Novell red for a decade. I felt like I lost a child when I heard my largest Novell network had switched to Windows. About a year ago, I began to research this topic and I think I have found a bit of understanding of PMS and a possible source…. Could you take a survey to help me study this syndrome? It takes about 20 minutes. I would be very grateful. http://www.itphdstudent.com/survey You can read more about the study at http://www.itphdstudent.com/study Kevin McReynolds 801 390-3059
