Will Apple offer a choice of OS bundled w/ new computers after Leopard?

[foidulus]

I am fortunate enough to work in an all-mac shop and we are in the market to buy a ton of mac pros when they are updated, but i just realize that we might have a problem. Right now we run our custom app(plus a lot of additional hardware etc.) with Tiger and probably won't upgrade to Leopard until after we have done a LOT of testing(I remember that the Panther->Tiger upgrade had some growing pains associated with it)

However, it seems after October(and maybe before we get new mac pros) all the new macs will be shipping with Leopard. This wouldn't be a huge deal except for the fact that there is no retail version of Tiger for Intel machines, so downgrading would be difficult to say the least.

Do you think Apple will still offer Tiger as an option after the release of Leopard? They certainly won't make a retail version of Tiger for Intel machines.....

 

[mkrishnan]

I don't know if your Apple sales rep can help you more, but traditionally, when Apple upgrades the OS, not only are the new computers NOT available with the old OS pre-installed or dual-boot, but they will actually also REFUSE to install or run the old OS. For instance, generally, any Mac purchased after Tiger came out (even PPC) will not let you install Panther on it. There're lots of arguments for/against, but I've always thought it must be an onerous policy to corporate customers in your situation (which is typical with any new OS!).

 

[Multimedia]

Buy One Mac Pro Before Leopard Ships?

Looks like you would have to buy at least one Mac Pro before Leopard ships to make sure you have one Intel Tiger Install DVD. But if the specs change on the Mac Pro after Leopard ships - probably October 26 - then like mkrishan says, it is highly likely that new model will not allow a Tiger install since Tiger will not understand/support that newer hardware.

This brings up the interesting point about wither Apple will revise Mac Pros before Leopard ships. I for one have no clue. Depends on Intel's supply of Stoakley logic boards or Apple's willingness to adopt them right away. Very confusing time for all of us who want to buy a slightly more advanced 8 core Mac Pro than the one for sale today.

 

[Sun Baked]

Looks like you would have to buy at least one Mac Pro before Leopard ships to make sure you have one Intel Tiger Install DVD. But if the specs change on the Mac Pro after Leopard ships - probably October 26 - then like mkrishan says, it is highly likely that new model will not allow a Tiger install since Tiger will not understand/support that newer hardware.

Highly likely the identifier string will be updated, and you need a DVD keyed to the computer to run that DVD.

aka, computer model machine identifier string is MacPro1,1 and MacPro2,1 for quad core

 

[foidulus]

Looks like you would have to buy at least one Mac Pro before Leopard ships to make sure you have one Intel Tiger Install DVD. But if the specs change on the Mac Pro after Leopard ships - probably October 26 - then like mkrishan says, it is highly likely that new model will not allow a Tiger install since Tiger will not understand/support that newer hardware.

This brings up the interesting point about wither Apple will revise Mac Pros before Leopard ships. I for one have no clue. Depends on Intel's supply of Stoakley logic boards or Apple's willingness to adopt them right away. Very confusing time for all of us who want to buy a slightly more advanced 8 core Mac Pro than the one for sale today.

The install dvd is actually a system restore DVD, so you can run into hardware issues there I would imagine. Plus I doubt the system restore DVD will even restore to a system that doesn't match the one it was meant for.

I thought of that too, but it's annoying, error prone, and you can run into significant driver issues if Apple releases an updated video card for the pros but doesn't supply a driver that will work with Tiger.

Then you also run into licensing issues. I know that if you own Tiger you don't have a license to use Leopard, but does it work the other way around?

 

[Sun Baked]

Can't remember if the refurbs will come with both the original Tiger restore DVDs and a Leopard Upgrade in the box, likely they will.

The new machines after the Leopard upgrade will likely immediately change over to the new OS, probably even before the retail DVDs are available.

For Tiger, it'll be floor stock and a tossup whether they will be in stock when you walk in the door.