What Difference will Snow Leopard Really make?

[Maximono]

Ok I know stupid question but what I mean is for the general basic user what difference will they see if they buy Snow Leopard?
For these people they don't have a clue what Grand Central dispatch is or what openCL is they just want a computer that does what they ask of it ( it's why they got a mac in the first place ).

Will they only notice that Quicktime looks different and has a new icon and there's some new wallpapers or will they be impressed by more subtle but still obvious changes in SL. Will they notice the speed increase and will it effect the power hungry apps they use most often like iPhoto and iMovie, and will power users like myself notice changes in Aperture and Final Cut or will we have to wait for upgrades to these apps before they can use SL?

Also does openCL actually make a difference to Video Encoding speeds, I know everyone has banged on about it from the start but is it being used in QT?

 

[paulbeattie87]

OpenCL should improve video encoding speeds. But, it all depends on whether the application has been programmed to utilise OpenCL.

Snow Leopard will make 6-7GB of difference if Apple are to be believed. To be fair to the average user they will notice and appreciate all the small changes such as, stacks, expose, improved trash and so on. You will also notice the speed improvements, they are very noticeable even to the average user.

 

[Bombercoach]

How much faster

You stated that it should speed up video encoding but by how much. I mean if I'm using imovie or idvd how much faster really is it going to do it that it currently does?

 

[safetyobc]

I'm upgrading for the promised extra 7GB of space (give or take) and the speed improvements. All the other stuff is just gravy. $30 is too good to pass up.

 

[Hellhammer]

You stated that it should speed up video encoding but by how much. I mean if I'm using imovie or idvd how much faster really is it going to do it that it currently does?

It's still unknown. We'll get benchmarks within few weeks after release I guess. IMO, OpenCL is overhyped. There aren't many apps that support it and is there really going to be bigger boost than 2 seconds?

 

[Sun Baked]

If you buy new Apple Pro apps, or any Apple Application newly released for sale after Friday ... you see an improvement, since they likely will be Snow Leopard apps.

Otherwise for most other Apps, the bug fixes/updates with the OS and the GUI will be the major improvements.

 

[Maximono]

OpenCL encoding increase is not mentioned anywhere on the new snow leopard enhancements page here http://www.apple.com/macosx/refinements/enhancements-refinements.html
I think personally we won't see an increase as it really doesn't seem apple have built it in. Possibly it could happen with itunes9 and maybe an update to QT but really we might have to rely on third party encoders I just don't know!

 

[uaecasher]

OpenCL encoding increase is not mentioned anywhere on the new snow leopard enhancements page here http://www.apple.com/macosx/refinements/enhancements-refinements.html
I think personally we won't see an increase as it really doesn't seem apple have built it in. Possibly it could happen with itunes9 and maybe an update to QT but really we might have to rely on third party encoders I just don't know!

dude it's only 29$

the less 7GB is enough

 

[imfrog2002]

7GB more space, Exposé improvements, folders in Stacks, faster finder load times, faster time machine backups, faster wake up and shut down, Quicktime X, with basic editing features, higher res in iChat, better PDF text selection, better disc ejecting (it'll show you what's still using the file.) That's the main stuff for the end user. Everything else is under the hood, make it faster and more reliable stuff.

 

[Maximono]

As i said I know whats new, I was just saying for the basic user what do u think they will notice snow leopard making a difference with. Personally I can't see them noticing hardly anything, maybe the speed increase, but u know some basic users they can be real skeptical

 

[MKCLLNS]

I think the ability to "drill" down into stacks is work the £25 alone.... will save me some time whenever i go to open a file

 

[creon]

30 bucks is such a great price I couldnt say no!

The only problem is that I wish there were more visual upgrades with the speed.

My MacBook takes 5 seconds to turn off....how the hell could it get any faster?!?! Looking forward to friday!

 

[t0mat0]

For the average user, iif you can get to an Apple store - have a go and see what the difference is. Users don't need in depth knowledge of GCD and OpenCL to get a lot out of them.
For the average user, i'd imagine the Pogue and Mossberg reviews in the next few days will be very relevant advice.

 

[Chundles]

The OS doesn't really matter. It's the same as Leopard for the most part, it's the technology built in underneath and the applications it will run that will get me to update.

That and I pretty much do what I'm told...

 

[devburke]

OpenCL encoding increase is not mentioned anywhere on the new snow leopard enhancements page here http://www.apple.com/macosx/refinements/enhancements-refinements.html

I disagree.



Edit: Somehow I missed that you were talking specifically about encoding speeds. Of course that's not mentioned, because that's up to the apps that do the encoding. The OS doesn't do it, apps like iMovie do, and iMovie is not part of the OS. OpenCL just makes more power available to application developers.

 

[acurafan]

... $30 is too good to pass up.

exactly - i don't know how people can complain about this upg. i'm not saying i'll be the first one on line, but it's a very good deal.