“Given the timing of Mac OS X’s release, the somewhat lukewarm response to Microsoft’s Windows Vista by many IT shops, and even the similarity in the areas of concentration pursued by Apple and Microsoft — a comparison between Leopard and Vista is inescapable. Both companies emphasized efforts to improve usability and add features to their bundled software,” Scot Finnie reports for Computerworld.
“Throughout the four years of the Vista development process, I tested and evaluated at least 15 different alphas and betas of the operating system, spending hundreds of hours evaluating the late prereleases and the final editions. Likewise, I spent countless hours testing Leopard, both in prerelease form and the final version now available to the public. What I found after all that testing is that despite their similarities on paper, Leopard and Vista are nothing alike,” Finnie reports.
“Vista has a cover-Microsoft’s-butt, designed-by-corporate-committee feel, while Leopard tightly adheres to Apple’s well-honed user-interface design principles. In numerous small ways, Apple has improved its OS, while Microsoft has, in a plethora of ways, changed Windows — not always for the better,” Finnie reports. “With OS X 10.5, Apple is clearly going head to head with Microsoft and Vista. With the smoke clearing, it’s also apparent that Apple still has a lead on Microsoft when it comes to user interface and functionality.”
“It’s impossible to miss the refinement infused throughout Apple’s new operating system, whereas there are compromises in Vista that impinge upon the user experience without giving something back in return. Apple is focused on the user experience, while Microsoft appears to be focused on antipiracy, overengineered security protections, and digital rights management aimed at serving its prospective third-party partners,” Finnie reports. “There’s really no contest. Tiger is a better OS than Vista, and there are no long-term downsides to Leopard. Vista doesn’t measure up.”
Full article here.
Related articles:
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Chicago Tribune reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: Further proof that computing needn’t be stressful – November 03, 2007
Fast Company: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard handily outshines all other computing interfaces – November 02, 2007
Houston Chronicle reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: A winner for Mac users and Windows switchers – November 01, 2007
MSNBC reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: ‘An even better experience with an already excellent OS’ – November 01, 2007
PC Magazine reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: ‘By far the best operating system ever written…’ – October 30, 2007
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CNET’s Reisinger: Apple’s Leopard will open the Mac OS X floodgates and embarrass Microsoft – October 29, 2007
ZDNet’s Kingsley-Hughes: Mac OS X Leopard’s Time Machine ‘brilliant, fantastic, an absolute winner’ – October 29, 2007
Ars Technica reviews Apple’s Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard: ‘Absolutely packed with improvements’ – October 29, 2007
BBC: Apple’s new Mac OS X Leopard’s Time Machine and Quick Look alone worth upgrading – October 29, 2007
CNET’s Reisinger: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard’s Time Machine interface is perfect – October 27, 2007
IT Business: US$129 for Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard is money well spent – October 27, 2007
Guardian Unlimited reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: ‘a very solid platform for the future’ – October 26, 2007
CNET reviews Apple’s Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard: ‘Excellent’ – October 26, 2007
Dallas Morning News: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard is a leap forward – October 26, 2007
Apple pulls wireless backup from initial Mac OS X Leopard release – October 26, 2007
Wired: Mac OS X Leopard may be Apple’s most revolutionary product release of 2007 – October 25, 2007
Technology Review: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard is ‘visually stunning, fast and stable’ – October 25, 2007
USA Today: With Leopard, Apple’s already superior Mac OS X widens lead over Microsoft’s Windows – October 25, 2007
New York Times’ Pogue reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: ‘Powerful and polished’ – October 25, 2007
Mossberg reviews Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard: ‘better and faster than Windows Vista’ – October 25, 2007
Mac OS X Leopard’s new Time Machine – October 12, 2007
Apple’s Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard shames Microsoft’s Windows Vista – August 31, 2007
Mercury News: Mac OS X already beats Windows Vista, Leopard will widen the gap – June 12, 2007
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Computerworld: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard’s ‘Time Machine’ is truly remarkable – October 05, 2006
eWeek: Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard with 3-D Time Machine is amazing – August 08, 2006
Apple Mac OS X Leopard’s ‘Time Machine’ vs. Microsoft’s ‘System Restore’ – August 07, 2006
Take a ride in Apple Mac OS X Leopard’s ‘Time Machine’ – August 07, 2006
“Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard spanks Microsoft’s Windows Vista”
Ball gags it and makes it wear cheekless chaps too.
The safety word is “karma”.
Hasta la Vista, baby.
Microsoft = guilty till proven innocent
Hey MDN,
Why did you make up a headline, “Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard spanks Microsoft’s Windows Vista.” that wasn’t in the article instead of using any of the many great things the article actually SAID?
Lower your credibility for no reason.
bends it over and spanks it bare-assed in front of its wife and kids.
Wow Mauritius, that would be kinda hot, except I imagine that Vista looks like Monkey Boy. Ew.
MW: And that gives me the creeps.
Um, DanielN, the title of the Computerworld article is “The verdict: Leopard spanks Vista, continues OS X’s reign of excellence”.
Spanks is actually in the title of the Computerworld article.
Not that it’s the best verb available, but it wasn’t MDN’s choice.
Leopard tightly adheres to Apple’s well-honed user-interface design principles.
Well, not exactly, but close enough. On the other hand, does anybody still read ComputerWorld?
gotta love those best buy commercials that try to sell PCs by bragging that they come loaded-down with “anti-spyware, anti-virus, anti-phishing” software and the link. Boy, doesn’t that make owning a PC sound like fun!
Wow, either this font is suddenly smaller, or my morning coffee is constricting my eyeballs.
What gives MDN?
Wow, either this font is suddenly smaller, or my morning coffee is constricting my eyeballs.
What gives MDN?
Wow, either this font is suddenly smaller, or my morning coffee is constricting my eyeballs.
What gives MDN?
Wow, either this font is suddenly smaller, or my morning coffee is constricting my eyeballs.
What gives MDN?
Wow, either this font is suddenly smaller, or my morning coffee is constricting my eyeballs.
What gives MDN?
Reader’s Take: This font is not going to work folks….
Ok, thought it was just me that thought this particular site looks weird.
This is not permanent, is it?
the font.. it hurts!
Hey, I don’t get small until AFTER my morning coffee thank you.
Isn’t a better comparison Vista to Tiger?
I squinted so hard I shat myself
Wow MDN. I had to squint to read the comments. At least put it a couple of points bigger mate it’s giving me a headache trying to read them
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />
MDN — PLEASE change this ugly, too-small, hard-to-read font that will make me look elsewhere to sites for my Mac news!
Thanks in advance.
– Doga
this font is as small as me on a cold day
You Mac users, just use your Control – Scroll Wheel to enlarge the text. WIndows users – do they have an equivalent?
MDNW
South – as in the direction Microsoft is headed…..