Questions about version of Mac OSX

[Afini]

🙄So I've ordered my first Mac, and I've always been a windows user.

I see people talking about OS versions, is the version something similar to the SP for windows? Is Snow Lepoard that I see people talking about a new OS or an upgrade for the current OS or....?

Sorry if the question seems noobish, I'm just used to WinXP just downloading SP as they come out, and I'm not sure about how the Mac OS works, will it just update the version as neccesary, will I need to purchase it, or simply visit a site? Thanks a bunch!

 

[Tallest Skil]

Snow Leopard is a 10.x update that people WILL be paying for.

All other updates (10.2.x, 10.4.x, 10.5.x, etc.) are free and pushed through Apple Software Update.

 

[Jaffa Cake]

The differently named versions are major revisions to the OS, with new features and stuff which you have to pay for. So Tiger for example was 10.4, and Leopard is 10.5. Minor revisions (big fixes, that sort of thing) are available as free downloads and are still classed as being the current big cat name.

 

[xUKHCx]

Snow Leopard will be the next OS. If it follows the same pattern as the previous versions it will be a paid upgrade which will come on an install disk. You will have to either buy it online and wait for delivery or go to the shop and purchase it.

In general the windows service packs can be likened to 10.x.x releases as these are downloaded via the internet and include bug fixes and security updates. Where as 10.x releases are new operating systems.

 

[TEG]

The current version is 10.5 (Leopard) with update 4, making it 10.5.4.
This would be similar to saying XP w/ Service Pack 4.

Snow Leopard will be 10.6, will cost money, and will be a totally new version, like going to Vista, just not made of FAIL.

TEG

 

[Afini]

I figured it would be as straight forward as that, but I wanted to make sure. Thanks a lot for all your replies!

 

[plinden]

I remember discussions about whether Snow Leopard will be a free upgrade to Leopard users, or will be charged for (upgrades from prior versions of OS X will definitely cost).

But I don't remember any announcement from Apple - is there any official announcement I missed that mentions this one way or another?

 

[strider42]

But I don't remember any announcement from Apple - is there any official announcement I missed that mentions this one way or another?

No official announcements, but apple ALWAYS charges for what it considers a major OS upgrade (which they obviously do in the case of snow leapard, indicated by the fact thaqt they gave it its own name and an entire .x number upgrade). The only exception to this pretty much ever was 10.1, which was free because 10.0 was pretty much unusable.