Format and install VS. upgrade

it would be easier just to upgrde since you are new to mac
but if you decide to get adveturous i would format and do a fresh install
it is not the hard (way easier than pc), there are many sites to help walk you through it or myself or many people on here could help walk you through it
by formating and doing a fresh install there will be a big difference in the speed of your mac (if you just had upgraded)
so go for it do the fresh install, you wont regret it in the long run
if you have any questions just post them up

 

There was a lot of discussion about this when Tiger first came out. If you have a hunt through the boards for posts from late April/early May, you'll find lots of opinions.

What you might not be aware of is that OS X offers a halfway house called Archive & Install which is what I plumped for. It basically wipes your system folder out while keeping your applications and user settings - reinstalls the updated System (while archiving the old one in a Previous Systems folder so you can rescue any odd files that might not have been copied) and then drops your apps/user files back where they should be.

 

I find that doing an erase install and using Migration Assistant to move over your old apps/docs/prefs to your new system makes for a smoother-running, more reliable system than Archive Install or Upgrade Install. Of course, it does add the extra step of having to clone your system before doing the upgrade, but it's good practice no matter what to have a fully-functioning clone before undertaking a major upgrade.

 

It's easier to do an upgrade but if you can't do an erase/install you probably shouldn't be anywhere near that keyboard. It is so straight forward you could teach a monkey to do it. ( I can do it !! )

I've had no problems what so ever. The Panther to Tiger transition has been flawless.

 

There are many good sites and articles not only from Apple, but others. Here's one of the best, illustrated ones I've read. Tiger Install
X

 

I would formatt. I do the same with my PC.

 

You can tell it's a Windows user when they say "Format."

 

Never tried the "Archive and Install"...probably never will. If I'm going to do something as major as an OS upgrade or re-install, then it's probably time to do some serious housecleaning.