Leopard now pre-installed on all machines?

[Mr Skills]

My mother is getting an iMac for Christmas (from John Lewis in the UK), and I want to make sure that Leopard is pre-installed to enhance her "works out of the box" experience.

Is it pre-installed on everything now, or are stores like John Lewis still using up stock with the drop-in discs?

 

[Jazzatola]

This thread suggests it may be some time yet before they're up to date.

 

[Consultant]

Well there is nothing wrong with Tiger...

But if you really want Leopard pre-installed, you can buy it from the Apple Store (and check) or Apple Online Store (shipping is free, and you are almost guaranteed the newest ones with Leopard installed).

 

[ErikAndre]

If you ordered it, it should ship with leopard. Even on the Apple web site it says shipping with Leopard. If it doesn't, Apple will take care of you.

 

[Mr Skills]

Hmm. Unfortunately it has to be from John Lewis since my technophobe parents won't pony up for AppleCare, and JL have a really good free 2 year warranty (and excellent customer service when something goes wrong). Unfortunately, these sorts of resellers are always the last in the queue so I'm guessing it will still have the drop-in disc. No biggie, but it would be nice if they didn't have to be frightened by a big installation right out the box (certain leopard features like the iChat screen sharing are going to be quite important!).

 

[Jazzatola]

I ordered a CTO MacMini from Apple on the 20th November. It was delivered yesterday and it still had Tiger installed. It was no hassle to install Leopard from the drop in DVD but, as you say, it wasn't an ideal out-of-the-box experience.

 

[OldSkoolNJ]

If you ordered it, it should ship with leopard. Even on the Apple web site it says shipping with Leopard. If it doesn't, Apple will take care of you.

UNfortunately there is not much truth to this. Machines are still shipping with disks in the box even as of yesturday. Only machines you can "guarantee" on being pre loaded are the newer macbooks. I would not depend on anything else coming pre loaded. If you get one then you would be the first I have heard of.

Kevin

 

[Tom J]

Disclaimer: Pure speculation follows.

It mould make sense that CTO configurations would be the first to ship with Leopard preinstalled since they would be would be coming fresh off the assembly lines rather than from built-up inventory.

Or so you would think.

I remember an announcement from the Apple store last Christmas concerning the last days to order both stock (non-CTO) and CTO configurations of macbooks and iMacs. They also listed a date for "Popular" CTO models. Like last year, you could conclude that Apple is currently shipping some CTO's from a pre-boxed inventory (w/Tiger) and may also explain why some users are reporting that their CTO Macs are shipping very fast.

It's also possible that stock configurations would see leopard pre-installed first because the shipping volume of those is greater and they would go through existing inventory faster (further contradicting my opening statement).

Does anybody buy this?