“It has been just over six months since Mac OS X ‘Leopard’ first shipped,” Michael DeAgonia reports for Computerworld. “Apple has taken steps in recent months to iron out any wrinkles that users have found. With two major updates now under its belt (a third update is due out soon) as well as the release of numerous code tweaks and security fixes, Leopard has gained ground and maturity and has grown into a solid computing platform.”
“Whether you were happy with [Leopard’s] interface changes seemed to depend on whether you were a longtime Macintosh user or a recent convert. Generally, long-time users found the new animations and graphics superfluous; new users, by contrast, liked them and found the animations useful,” DeAgonia reports.
“Version 10.5.3, is expected soon, although Apple hasn’t said when. Those revisions have included numerous bug fixes, security updates and code tweaks, including the aforementioned tweaks to the menu bar and Stacks,” DeAgonia reports. “By way of comparison, Mac OS X Tiger had three upgrades in its first six months. By the time Tiger was replaced by Leopard, it had received 11 such upgrades and dozens of security updates and software tweaks. What does this mean for Leopard? Look for a series of future updates as Apple continues to improve on the Leopard code base, just as it has for every other version of OS X.”
“Six months after its release, debates about whether Leopard is a worthy upgrade have largely vanished,” DeAgonia reports. “Even large companies are checking it out, uncertain as they are about the future of Vista; for example, IBM is running a test to determine whether Macs in the office would be a smart move. A recent survey by ChangeWave Research found that “Apple continues to set the standard for corporate customer satisfaction.” That’s noteworthy, given the lack of a specific Apple push into the enterprise.”
“With Intel chips inside and Boot Camp installed, Macs can now run Windows, meaning no one is necessarily bound to a single operating system. If you are still on the fence about switching but are a fan of Apple hardware, buying a Mac is win-win,” DeAgonia reports. “Though Apple’s hardware is what so often draws a crowd — remember when the iPhone and MacBook Air came out? — that hardware is just a collection of parts. Leopard is the heart and soul of the Mac.”
Much more in the full article here.
