Mac OS X 10.4.2 This Week?

[thequicksilver]

You mean like that cool new Intel processor that Apple always told us was far inferior to the PowerPC?

If you can find footage of Steve Jobs publicly slating the next generation of Intel processors, please let us all see it. Last time I remember was two years ago at the launch of the G5. That's a long time ago in computing terms, and lacks relevance in terms of Apple's future processor roadmap.

 

[BWhaler]

Think Secret is reporting that the latest build has a new Widget Manager accessible directly from within the dashboard--as it should be.

It appears Apple is really trying to get Tiger right with this build. That's great to read, and I can't wait.

 

[Mac_Freak]

A widget manager, that will be cool. Probably the best part of it is that yu can launch it going to dashboard Hey that is another new feature
The article says that the effects like "water drop" are smoother, I sure hope so because it has been little choppy on mine, well maybe not as choppy as delayed.

 

[MDA]

If you can find footage of Steve Jobs publicly slating the next generation of Intel processors, please let us all see it. Last time I remember was two years ago at the launch of the G5. That's a long time ago in computing terms, and lacks relevance in terms of Apple's future processor roadmap.

Sigh, all I'm saying is that it's a bitter pill for a lot of people to swallow when for years we've been told our processor was better. That's all I'm saying, please don't turn this into an on going debate.

 

[wdlove]

Sigh, all I'm saying is that it's a bitter pill for a lot of people to swallow when for years we've been told our processor was better. That's all I'm saying, please don't turn this into an on going debate.

I agree, that in the scheme of things it isn't important. Apple has decided to move on and so we will follow. Just as we have to Tiger.

 

[Mac_Freak]

OK, now is the third week that we are expecting the 10.4.2 update, so lets hope it is going to be released. Tiger is awsome, but the thought that there is even an improved version of it makes as eager to get our hands on it.

 

[MDA]

OK, now is the third week that we are expecting the 10.4.2 update, so lets hope it is going to be released. Tiger is awsome, but the thought that there is even an improved version of it makes as eager to get our hands on it.

I would think it's probably going to be another week or maybe two. While they test the new widget tool.

 

[jstock]

I would think it's probably going to be another week or maybe two. While they test the new widget tool.

I'm going to vote for this week. I think the above might be too pessimistic.

I've done development in my time, and this widget manager shouldn't add that much QA time for Apple, especially considering much of the glue for it is already present.

 

[wdlove]

It could also be part of Apple's big announcement next month. They have already alerted the news media. It's an opinion just like everyone else.

 

[VanNess]

It sounds like the widget manager deals with one problem (easily adding, removing, enable/disable widgets) but there is another looming problem. There are too many widgets now of various shapes, sizes, and purposes and not enough screen real estate to pack them all in without stacking some on top of others.

I think it would be great if a widget manager (or some addition to the dashboard UI) would allow the user to create widget "channels" similar to the old Sherlock II. You could have a news channel that displays only news widgets; a shopping channel, a search channel, and so on. The option to create your own custom channels (also like Sherlock II) would be useful too. You could select the channels via buttons at the bottom of the screen in the active dashboard layer. Rotating cube effect when switching channels optional.

Widgets get organized, better use of ram, and you get to say "boom" at a demo. ("I want to see all of my shopping widgets and - boom! - there they are."). How could Jobs pass up the opportunity?

 

[Lacero]

Apple already introduces new retail boxes of Tiger. 10.3.5 Panther they waited to do so. I guess those who said Tiger wasn't finished when it became gold master were probably right. Apple wanted to ship Tiger at the end of April in order to get it out of the way for the Intel announcement at WWDC. So 10.4 were public beta and 10.4.2 is the real version. Given that 10.4.2 is a big update for such an early stage of the development process supports my theory.

 

[MDA]

I'm going to vote for this week. I think the above might be too pessimistic.

I've done development in my time, and this widget manager shouldn't add that much QA time for Apple, especially considering much of the glue for it is already present.

http://www.macosrumors.com/

 

[jtmo3]

http://www.macosrumors.com/

If that's true, I personally think it's wrong. MS has taken heat for this and it just seems wrong in this case, with so many bugs to squash, to hold up a major fix to add new features.

Can only hope it's not correct but with no 10.4.2 yet, it surely seems likely. At this point, it seems likely it "might" turn out to coincide with the July 7th announcement.

 

[thequicksilver]

I'm inclined to agree that the MOSR rumour is bunkum. Initially this is down to the lack of credibility of that website, but mainly due to the number of builds of 10.4.2 to date. The deveiopment of this update has surely been going since the day Tiger went GM, and given that most people agree now that Tiger's release was rushed, the 10.4.2 development is surely about to finish. To be released by the end of the week.

That's how I assess it anyway.

Furthermore - the 10.4.2/press event co-incidence is not going to happen. Can you imagine it? Steve Jobs:

"We're releasing a new update for Tiger today, which has over 70 fixes in our new OS released less than three months ago."

Headlines in the press next day:

"Apple fixes flawed OS".

Jobs and Apple are far too savvy to mention this at the press event.

 

[xsedrinam]

Apple already introduces new retail boxes of Tiger. 10.3.5 Panther they waited to do so. I guess those who said Tiger wasn't finished when it became gold master were probably right. Apple wanted to ship Tiger at the end of April in order to get it out of the way for the Intel announcement at WWDC. So 10.4 were public beta and 10.4.2 is the real version. Given that 10.4.2 is a big update for such an early stage of the development process supports my theory.

This kind of speculation has stirred up cat fur as far back as the pre-Jaguar days, when 10.2 was considered to be the true OS X with everything prior considered beta; and I tend to agree. Aside from projects due through July and no affordable down time, and all the "pioneer spirit" and "no guts no blue chips" talk, it's one of the reasons why I won't move to Tiger 'til late July. By then 10.4.2 should be purring.
X

 

[Applespider]

Can only hope it's not correct but with no 10.4.2 yet, it surely seems likely. At this point, it seems likely it "might" turn out to coincide with the July 7th announcement.

It will only coincide with the July 7 announcement if there is a new product that 10.4.2 gives a clue too. Much as we look forward to point upgrades, there's no way in heck they'd bother mentioning it at a press conference.

Most of these recent 'special announcements', outwith the usual Keynote announcements, have been iTMS/iTunes/iPod oriented so that the mainstream press attend.

 

[Dave Marsh]

I suspect the July 7 announcement is nothing more than the latest on the iPhone, probably showing off the new phone and announcing that Cingular will be offering it.

I'm hoping that these phones will have full Bluetooth synchronization (Address Book, Calendar, Todos, Notifications) turned on. In the past the phone companies have insisted on disabiling part of the stack, forcing users to resort to USB if they wanted to synch.

While I'm perfectly happy with my current SE T616, I'd certainly be interested in a RAZR-style phone to replace it. I won't replace it for another candy bar phone. I certainly won't replace it for a Bluetooth-challenged phone.

 

[BWhaler]

It sounds like the widget manager deals with one problem (easily adding, removing, enable/disable widgets) but there is another looming problem. There are too many widgets now of various shapes, sizes, and purposes and not enough screen real estate to pack them all in without stacking some on top of others.

I think it would be great if a widget manager (or some addition to the dashboard UI) would allow the user to create widget "channels" similar to the old Sherlock II. You could have a news channel that displays only news widgets; a shopping channel, a search channel, and so on. The option to create your own custom channels (also like Sherlock II) would be useful too. You could select the channels via buttons at the bottom of the screen in the active dashboard layer. Rotating cube effect when switching channels optional.

Widgets get organized, better use of ram, and you get to say "boom" at a demo. ("I want to see all of my shopping widgets and - boom! - there they are."). How could Jobs pass up the opportunity?

I was thinking the same thing recently.

We need a way to have multiple sheets of widgets. Games, Info, whatever. I hope Apple puts this into Leopard with a well though out UI for managing the sheets and a cool transition effect.

Also, the dashboard needs to come up faster when there are tons of widgets and many which have data feeds. Waiting for the hands to draw on the clocks is just embarrassingly bad for Apple.

 

[wdlove]

It will only coincide with the July 7 announcement if there is a new product that 10.4.2 gives a clue too. Much as we look forward to point upgrades, there's no way in heck they'd bother mentioning it at a press conference.

Most of these recent 'special announcements', outwith the usual Keynote announcements, have been iTMS/iTunes/iPod oriented so that the mainstream press attend.

We will just have to wait and see what happens. Apple could release 10.4.2 on the 7th and not mention it in the press conference. Unless Apple has added something completely new with this update, it could be the 201st new feature.

 

[TheSpaz]

I hope it comes out really really soon. I want my printer to work the way it should.

 

[Toe]

I hope it comes out really really soon. I want my printer to work the way it should.

Your printer works?

Be thankful you don't have a PSC 750... On the driver page, HP still won't so much as admit that 10.4 exists.

 

[TheSpaz]

When I try to print over Airport, it gets half way through printing and stops dead in it's tracks. I can't do anything... Printer Utility just says Processing Job and stays that way until I clear the job and restart the printer. In the meantime, I waste a good sheet of Photo Quality paper and get half of a nice picture. VERY annoying! One of the reasons I wanted Airport was to plug a printer into it... now I have to be tied down to my printer... defeats the purpose of having Airport doesn't it? Airport is so I DON'T need wires. DAMNIT Apple (or Canon but, I doubt it's Canon's fault)!

 

[glennsan]

Printer problems with Airport

When I try to print over Airport, it gets half way through printing and stops dead in it's tracks. I can't do anything... Printer Utility just says Processing Job and stays that way until I clear the job and restart the printer. In the meantime, I waste a good sheet of Photo Quality paper and get half of a nice picture. VERY annoying! One of the reasons I wanted Airport was to plug a printer into it... now I have to be tied down to my printer... defeats the purpose of having Airport doesn't it? Airport is so I DON'T need wires. DAMNIT Apple (or Canon but, I doubt it's Canon's fault)!

What Canon printer do you have? I just got a MP760 and it does the same thing, not every time but often enough to be really annoying.

 

[TheSpaz]

What Canon printer do you have? I just got a MP760 and it does the same thing, not every time but often enough to be really annoying.

I have a Canon iP5000 Photo Printer and it works fine plugged directly into the computer... but, over Airport it sucks... isn't the whole deal with Airport to get RID of wires! I'd love to print wirelessly but, I'm sick of wasting time and paper to try and print out stuff.... really annoying.

 

[michaelrjohnson]

It sounds like the widget manager deals with one problem (easily adding, removing, enable/disable widgets) but there is another looming problem. There are too many widgets now of various shapes, sizes, and purposes and not enough screen real estate to pack them all in without stacking some on top of others.

I think it would be great if a widget manager (or some addition to the dashboard UI) would allow the user to create widget "channels" similar to the old Sherlock II. You could have a news channel that displays only news widgets; a shopping channel, a search channel, and so on. The option to create your own custom channels (also like Sherlock II) would be useful too. You could select the channels via buttons at the bottom of the screen in the active dashboard layer. Rotating cube effect when switching channels optional.

Widgets get organized, better use of ram, and you get to say "boom" at a demo. ("I want to see all of my shopping widgets and - boom! - there they are."). How could Jobs pass up the opportunity?

Don't you think this makes the entire *concept* of widgets too cumbersome? It is intended to be quick, easy, no fuss. Instead, it's difficult to navigate, organize, etc. Adding the aforementioned level of categorization just adds another layer of clutter, IMHO. I want Apple to *refine* Mac OS X, not add on to it until it's "done", else it will go the way of Windows bloat.