Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
In Depth Mac OS X Leopard Review
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I've actually installed Leopard on my 1.5 PB, and once it got through making the 89Gb backup for time-machine, I have to agree with previous posters - my laptop now feels faster!
I'm impressed, and I only performed an archive and install!
I'm fitting a new 120Gb ata disk (as soon as it arrives) and I'll be doing a nice clean install onto it, then trying to restore my documents from time-machine - should be a fun exercise!
I too was hoping to use this as an excuse to buy an MBP, but I'm going to have to come up with another excuse now.
Damn you, Apple!
Nig.
I tested the 9A559 Beta on my friends Power Book G4 1.67 system with 1.5 GB RAM on a slave drive, and it was MUCH faster. We timed the boot rates between Tiger and Leopard and Leopard was literally twice as fast, and the Tiger boot was only a few months old in its installation age. Both OS's has similar applications loading on the same hardware, so it is safe to say it was a fair amateur experiment.
That's great, did you make the bag icon yourself? I just made a folder, named it "#Downloads" for example, and cut and pasted the folder icon for Downloads folder into the folder I created in the stack so I can see that it's the downloads stack in the dock. I repeated this for my Applications and Documents folders in the stack as well.
John's review is as always very technical, very demanding and very good.
I am using leopard on our G5 iMac and I must say it is awesome. Everything is faster and it feels so solid. The look really stays out of your way now as it all is very uniform. I just love what they have done to iCal which I live in. Safari screams. Mail doesn't get hung up anymore. Scrolling in a window in the background. You've seen these comments and they are true.
I don't think most of us will get as gung ho about a few things like John does so I suggest using it yourself before completely agreeing with everything he says. I don't disagree with him (too much) but he does let some things nag at him that I don't think the majority of us worry about. (I'm glad he does though.)
Leopard version one will be seen as much more stable than Tiger ever was in its early days and so far, I think it is as stable (and certainly much faster) than the latest version of Tiger.
John mentions something about Spotlight maybe making the whole system faster. Whatever it is, it is much appreciated. Our G5 seems like a new machine. I can only imagine those of you lucky enough to have one of the new Intel machines.
Reading your post made me smile now...I've just bought Leopard here in Switzerland and am going to install it in a few hours...
I am glad to see that G5 iMacs benefit A LOT from the best OS in the world...wish me luck in the upgrade process and...GO APPLE!
p.s.: This week I will install an extra gig to be with 2Gb as well..!
Ahhh, that's really clever. So basically a stack folder should be like a "smart playlist" or mailbox, in that you can configure it to put all of any one particular file into it automatically. As you stated, if you wanted a smart folder to gather all your PDF's you can configure one. Does this exist in Leopard?
I completely agree. I used to have my Applications folder in my dock too, and now instead of the Applications folder icon I get the icon of the first application in the folder. Not very handy at all.
There is a classic book that explains this. "The Mythical Man-Month" Wikipedia has a good summary of it at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mythical_Man-Month
It covers the development of a new OS and explains what throwing resources (people) at a task many times is counter productive. I think no one at Microsoft ever read this. I'd call the book "required reading" for anyone managing a software development effort or any computer science student.
I wonder why Apple doesn't get rid of the triangle and blue orb indicators and instead try for something really different, such as changing an icon all together when an application is opened. For example, in the resources of its contents package, have another version of a dock icon for an application, and give it a blue glow or something of the sort. This would be a much better indicator instead of a small object under the application, but make sure it isn't too flashy and becomes a distraction. Maybe even have "Active" in small letters across the opened application icon in the dock, I don't know, anything seems great other than a tiny little orb that might be difficult for some people to see. Just a thought, not a complaint, I like Leopard
.
I just had an idea about the Stacks issue...
What if you make an alias of the Applications, Movies, etc. folders and place them in the dock? Would that function like the old Tiger dock folders? This way, you're not placing empty folders/icons in each of the folders.
I dont' have Leopard yet, but it'll be waiting for me at home after work!
edit: Heck, you can even go in and change the icon of the aliases to use Tiger folder icons. hmmmmm...
What if you make an alias of the Applications, Movies, etc. folders and place them in the dock? Would that function like the old Tiger dock folders? This way, you're not placing empty folders/icons in each of the folders.
I dont' have Leopard yet, but it'll be waiting for me at home after work!
edit: Heck, you can even go in and change the icon of the aliases to use Tiger folder icons. hmmmmm...
Great review as always, but with all the changes to the Dock, I was wondering if the option to dim hidden apps was still there? This is one of the first things I enable when I'm setting up a new Mac, and I believe it should be the default, not a hidden pref. Can anyone with Leopard check for me?
Code:
defaults write com.apple.Dock showhidden -bool YES
all i read about leopard are praises... while i have to admit, the os is not terrible, it's certainly not good either. the embossed fonts, dock, and menu bar translucency are totally tacky, what was jobs thinking? if i wanted to see real time reflections, i would just fire up my xbox and play some halo
I agree. The gripes about visual improvements are opinions, which I happen to disagree with. The behind the scenes parts though are much more interesting, especially as you can't just see the changes.
Ok, the Stacks problem (subfolders in the stack) is a problem. I expect it will be worked out soon. I'll be a little disappointed if it still exists past 10.5.3.
I want an Amiga
So why does Apple give us full screen viewing of an individual file in the Finder, but not a directory? Lame. Coverflow in the Finder without full-screen mode is really stupid. Either go all the way or not at all Apple.
Full screen mode in iTunes does not remain persistent when used with Spaces, but full screen veiwing in Preview does. Lame.
Street light controls on windows were redone and look wrong to me. Wierd.
Menu bar at the top can not be hidden, nor is translucency adjustable. Irritating.
Adjusting the terminal perferences is confusing.
To be fair, I had the same problems with Tiger when it came out, but it grew on me.
Vista still sucks so I guess I'll stick with Leopard.
Here is hoping Amiga OS 5 will be as good as they claim...better than OS X is what they are saying. Hard to believe, but I sure hope it's true.
So why does Apple give us full screen viewing of an individual file in the Finder, but not a directory? Lame. Coverflow in the Finder without full-screen mode is really stupid. Either go all the way or not at all Apple.
Full screen mode in iTunes does not remain persistent when used with Spaces, but full screen veiwing in Preview does. Lame.
Street light controls on windows were redone and look wrong to me. Wierd.
Menu bar at the top can not be hidden, nor is translucency adjustable. Irritating.
Adjusting the terminal perferences is confusing.
To be fair, I had the same problems with Tiger when it came out, but it grew on me.
Vista still sucks so I guess I'll stick with Leopard.
Here is hoping Amiga OS 5 will be as good as they claim...better than OS X is what they are saying. Hard to believe, but I sure hope it's true.
Trying to fix stacks...
I've thrown together a small app that lives in the Dock and provides a popup menu for the Applications folder, very similar to the the old behavior we got by dragging the Applications folder to the Dock. If anyone would like to give it a try and and send me some feedback, I'd appreciate it.
Download the app or the source code at http://rosscarter.com/2007/41.html
I'm just trying to provide a free fix for this gigantic step backward.
Ross
I've thrown together a small app that lives in the Dock and provides a popup menu for the Applications folder, very similar to the the old behavior we got by dragging the Applications folder to the Dock. If anyone would like to give it a try and and send me some feedback, I'd appreciate it.
Download the app or the source code at http://rosscarter.com/2007/41.html
I'm just trying to provide a free fix for this gigantic step backward.
Ross
They have been making promises about Amiga OS for years. You are setting yourself up for massive disappointment if you actually believe him when he says Amiga OS 5 is going to be better than OS X, if it even comes out.
Let's be honest, the kinds of people trolling with the "Leopard is just a service pack" bit do not care about the substance of the claim, nor are they likely to actually read an in-depth article like this.
They will continue calling Leopard a service pack because it makes them feel better about their hatred for Apple.
-Zadillo
right right out of the box - right... there was an update to leopard in software update the day after it was released. my tiger is at 10.4.10, and .11 is due any day now. never mind the countless mini patches and fixes that have come out. and i expect 10.5.1 etc etc and beyond in the coming weeks/months. anyone remember how long it took for 10.4.1 after tiger first pounced?
hope this helps some with that mystery...
John Siracusa said:
That probably will be my biggest personal grievance about 10.5. I don't mind the mixture between browser and spatial view of the Finder. In fact, I would call it browsing a spatial view. Only occasionally I would like like to be able to open a new window from the current window without having to start browsing there from zero.
I always hated the Start menu in Windows, navigating to two, three, or even more submenus to open an app seemed like one of the most complicated methods one can think of. I therefore never put folders in the Dock. Folders always go into the sidebar with me. To be frank, I rarely put anything into the right side of the Dock. Once I minimize a window, I usually very quickly forget that I minimized it and usually open it again rather than realizing that it sits in the Dock already.
I agree, the Dock works best as an app switcher (and file opener). Use it for that only and most gripes with it will go away.
This is as close to trolling as one could go without actually doing it...
Although you've defended it before, the concept of full screen for "everything" is pretty much useless and counter-productive, to say the least...Apple is wise enough to enable full screen usage when it IS useful. Full screen for viewing files? Come on...viewing files has no purpose by itself; it's a means for doing something else with them.
The two other comments relate to "lighting" in a purely subjective manner.
In other words, all this ranting for pretty much nothing. As for AmigaOS, it's never been good and it never will be...it's a dead platform. So if you feel like choosing a great OS, at least pick GS/OS which was much better and better designed...apart from the overhyped Amiga multitasking, its OS was useless for serious tasks; and the Amiga Workbench was simply ridiculous. So calm down, take a pill and come back later with more constructive comments, please.
I disagree about the look of the dock, but agree that the stacks is not versatile enough to be really useful for anything beyond organizing a downloads folder.
I personally love the whole look of the OS, and have already been enjoying a lot of the little improvements that really do make all the difference.
I am noticing that my boot time can be a tad long, and was considering doing a clean install rather than an upgrade. I already backed up with Time Machine and was considering starting over. Can I do a clean install and recover my files without issue?
I personally love the whole look of the OS, and have already been enjoying a lot of the little improvements that really do make all the difference.
I am noticing that my boot time can be a tad long, and was considering doing a clean install rather than an upgrade. I already backed up with Time Machine and was considering starting over. Can I do a clean install and recover my files without issue?
Where did Microsoft want to go yesterday?
Siracusa makes an EXCELLENT point about the space and time theme... I used to joke that Microsoft's slogan should be, "Where did you want to go yesterday?"
Microsoft's "Where do you want to go today" slogan, from a technical standpoint, exemplifies instant obsolescence because today is not where people want to go.
Today is where you are. Where you want to go is in the future... Naturally, the brainiacs at Apple Marketing used this slogan for Leopard, whose most prominent features are Space(s) and Time (Machine).
The slogan?
"Hello, tomorrow."
Absolutely brilliant.
Siracusa makes an EXCELLENT point about the space and time theme... I used to joke that Microsoft's slogan should be, "Where did you want to go yesterday?"
Microsoft's "Where do you want to go today" slogan, from a technical standpoint, exemplifies instant obsolescence because today is not where people want to go.
Today is where you are. Where you want to go is in the future... Naturally, the brainiacs at Apple Marketing used this slogan for Leopard, whose most prominent features are Space(s) and Time (Machine).
The slogan?
"Hello, tomorrow."
Absolutely brilliant.