Apple’s new Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard “is smaller and faster than before,” Christopher Saunders reports for InternetNews.
Saunders writes, “Take a second to think about this.”
“With each subsequent release of OS X, the operating system’s performance has gotten better and better while hardware requirements have barely moved,” Saunders reports. “Actually, until Snow Leopard’s debut, you could continue running the latest version of the operating system on hardware that existed even before OS X itself and still be realizing performance improvements.”
“And today, users may notice that with Snow Leopard, the operating system’s footprint on their hard drive has also begun decreasing,” Saunders reports. “That’s right: OS X 10.6 takes up less space than 10.5 — while being faster and introducing new features.”
“Oh, yeah: Snow Leopard retails for $29,” Saunders reports. “Now Apple’s just showing off.”
“Feats like this, I believe, need to be highlighted,” Saunders writes. “This is the way that system software should be architected. Each successive release of OS X has gotten lighter and more efficient. It hasn’t introduced bloat that forces users to upgrade their systems. Quite the opposite: It’s gotten leaner while getting more powerful.”
“It’s not clear that Microsoft will ever feel compelled to work the same way. It’s got too much riding on it now that the entire PC ecosystem seems to be counting on Windows 7 to drive new a new crop of PC sales,” Saunders writes. “That’s a pity for the consumer, who shouldn’t be required to shell out for new hardware just to run the newest system software. It’s all the more troubling when the new system software is released chiefly to fix problems with previous system software.”
Full article here.
Ummm… you can run SL on hardware that existed before Mac OS X? NOT!
My iMac is a G4 800MHz. Leopard left me in the dust. And SL will leave all PPC based Macs out in the cold.
I hate when a positive article like this is marred by inaccurate info.
“Oh, yeah: Snow Leopard retails for $29,” Saunders reports. “Now Apple’s just showing off.””
I love that line!
I almost sprayed the mouth full of water through my nose.
First post? Well, that’s a first!!
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How is it inaccurate? The writer wrote:
“Actually, until Snow Leopard’s debut, you could continue running the latest version of the operating system on hardware that existed even before OS X itself and still be realizing performance improvements.”
@MacSmiley
“Actually, until Snow Leopard’s debut, you could continue running the latest version of the operating system on hardware that existed even before OS X itself and still be realizing performance improvements.”
Reading comprehension, it’s a good thing.
But congratulations on first post.
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Oops, Demon beat me to it. But by six minutes? Why didn’t i see his (her? its?) post?
MacSmiley – perhaps you might read more carefully before criticizing, the writer clearly states, “Actually, UNTIL SNOW LEOPARD’s DEBUT, you COULD continue running the latest version of the operating system on hardware that existed even before OS X itself and still be realizing performance improvements.” clearly acknowledging that older hardware compatibility, i.e. PPC mac ended with 10.5 . . . I’m happy to have Snow Leopard on my intel macs and just keep my aluminum PB partitioned w/ 10.5 and 9 OSs which is useful in my teaching environment for all the still worthwhile old classic apps.
Well put. However, it seem that none of the talking heads have tied the need to shrink the size and speed up the system to the jump into the mobile market. Slower clock speeds and modular small size that is easily stripped to the minimum size required for that device and it’s features gives Apple the lead in these markets and has got this OS ready for the new Mac tablet!
Read the whole sentence Smiley!
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“Actually, until Snow Leopard’s debut, you could continue running the latest version of the operating system on hardware that existed even before OS X itself and still be realizing performance improvements.”
wow, two folks pointed out MacSmiley’s reading lapse before I got off the phone and hit submit. . . oh well I’m still grateful to have old, old imacs and toilet seat ibooks running OS 9, for elementary students there are tons of still excellent apps that will only run on a machine running 9 . . . i haven’t seen yet if SheepShaver will work with Snow Leopard. . .
Hey Monkey Boy, good luck fitting Windows 7 into a Zune Phone
M$: Boldly skating to where the puck has been!
MacSmiley – Ummm… you can run SL on hardware that existed before Mac OS X? NOT!
My iMac is a G4 800MHz. Leopard left me in the dust. And SL will leave all PPC based Macs out in the cold.
I hate when a positive article like this is marred by inaccurate info.
I have Leopard running on a duall-533mhz Sawtooth with no issues and I’ve seen it run on G3s, so, you must be doing something wrong.
Apple simply puts M$ to shame. I pity M$ users in their deep dark miserable convoluted dungeon.
Meanwhile I’m high as a kite blasting AirTunes, ooooyeah!
> Each successive release of OS X has gotten lighter and more efficient. It hasn’t introduced bloat that forces users to upgrade their systems.
That’s a bit of an exaggeration. Leopard (versus Tiger) was not “lighter,” and it did require additional RAM if your system was at the lower end of the Tiger requirements. But overall, Apple has done an admirable job of keeping Macs useful for a long time. However, the current PowerPC cut-off is like the hardware cutoff when Apple went from 68K to PowerPC (between Mac OS 8.1 and 8.5); somewhat abrupt.
Now… Can Leopard really run on a Mac that existed BEFORE Mac OS X. Leopard officially requires a 867 MHz G4 or later. The earliest such Mac was a Power Mac G4 model introduced in Jul. 2001 (according to EveryMac.com), and came with Mac OS 9.2 and Mac OS X 10.0.4. So that statement is not correct (barely). Yes, if you upgraded an earlier Power Mac G4 model with a faster G4 CPU or used a hack to do an unofficial Leopard installation on a slower G4 Mac, that statement is technically correct.
Sarasota is correct, I have the same Sawtooth purchased in March 2000. Leopard runs fine. Try Vista on a 2000 vintage Windows box….
No SL for you MacSmiley
Did we (the Apple client base), expect anything less…NO!
$$$$ and Sarasota,
Even though Leopard runs on older PPC Macs, Snow Leopard requires an Intel Mac for upgrading. (I’m in the same boat — I still have 5 functioning PPC Mac’s in my home!)
This is new spin on old news!
How ironic. People using older Macs can run the newer operating systems while new PC owners prefer to run old versions of Windows.
Running SL on my MacBook Pro…..AWESOME! Built in Scanner drivers for my HP all-in-one! Awesome because HP can’t write driver/scanner software to save their lives! Yeah Apple!!!!!!
I just wanted to say this… I rule!
Erskineville- Thanks for the chuckle. My school keeps updating labs each year, and I don’t know what version of bland, black HP boxes we’re currently using or their speed, but they’re pretty powerful and yet we are STILL on XP, and on these boxes, it is as slow as a lame dog limping to a beating compared to even Tiger. They literally take two to three minutes to boot up, go to the login window, and once the user logs in, it takes yet ANOTHER two minutes to create user settings and be ready for action. Then there’s the clunky interface, the lack of features, and on and on.
It is such a shame that my two G5 Power Macs, and my two G4 iBooks running Leopard are now obsolete and will no longer function. I must have been hallucinating a couple years ago when they seemed to work perfectly. Now it’s the same machines running the same OS, but obviously they won’t work anymore as of midnight last night. Darn you, Apple. Now the whole family will have to huddle around my new MBP running SL. Woe is me!
@Zeke:
You’re joking right? Just because you can’t upgrade doesn’t mean the system will stop functioning.
Ya, but does Flying Toasters run on Snow Leopard? Can someone check and report back?
Thanks in advance!