Worth waiting for Leopard

[Gooze]

Is it worth waiting for leopard?
I'm going to buy the 24' iMAC, but should i buy one now with tiger preinstalled or should i wait for leopard to be preinstalled?
My lessons are starting in 2 weeks and i'll probably need a computer then... . If they're going to release it in the beginning of october, i'll wait, but i'm afraid it's going to take longer... .

Btw. this is going to be my first mac... so i'm new to it.

Thnx anyway.

 

[CRAZYBUBBA]

Tiger is really, really good. I wouldn't wait.

 

[miniConvert]

I wouldn't wait either. Nobody even knows if there'll be issues with the early incarnations of Leopard. I certainly don't fancy beta testing it.

Tiger is mature now, relatively speaking. Get it with Tiger and then upgrade at some point in the future after you know Leopard is in a good state.

 

[Gooze]

How about the hardware? Will they change something about that?
Thanks for the replies... the main reason for my purchase is final cut studio 2, so i'll probably be better of with tiger too i guess... because of it's stability right?
But another thing is... when i've installed programs like that and bootcamp with maybe windows vista too, is it still going to be easy to upgrade to leopard?

 

[MK2007]

For most people I would definitely recommend waiting for Leopard. In your case, however, I suggest buying now instead of later. You will need the computer for classes and you are new to OS X. There are many things you have to learn about the operating system. Beyond that, new iMacs with Leopard might be in short supply when the new version of the operating system is released.

The only hardware change is the possibility of Apple offering an iMac with a matte screen option. Hopefully, the company has listened to the many complaints about the glossy screen. Don't postpone your purchase on this speculation, however.

 

[Wayfarer]

Tiger is really, really good. I wouldn't wait.

Leopard is much, much better. I would wait.

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

Wait for Leopard, you want to be obsolete in a few weeks? thats what Tiger will be. Plus Boot Camp will be out of Beta. Im getting a new iMac and im doing the waiting game for Leopard. Apple will start talking leopard upgrades for new models soon I would expect. Patience.

 

[smythey]

I wouldn't wait either. Nobody even knows if there'll be issues with the early incarnations of Leopard. I certainly don't fancy beta testing it.

Tiger is mature now, relatively speaking. Get it with Tiger and then upgrade at some point in the future after you know Leopard is in a good state.

I agree entirely.... Im new to OS X as well, and have been very impressed with Tiger so far, its so slick. Im not going to get Leopard until after Christmas and the wrinkles have been ironed out. The upgrade cost isnt much, and its a steal if your a student, or has a mate who's one!

 

[Gooze]

A matte screen? I hope so!

 

[GimmeSlack12]

Leopard is much, much better. I would wait.

Considering no one's used it. Thats a valid statement.
Many of us are excited about Leopard, but Tiger is really really good and you should go ahead and buy now. You can get Leopard from Santa Claus.

 

[The Stig]

If you can wait. WAIT. If you can't, DON'T.

TS

 

[darthraige]

I'm waiting for an all 8-core MacPro so that I can use Leopard at it's fullest.

 

[slb6r]

Just called Apple and asked about the requirement of OS 10.4.10 for using the new iPod touch. I am running still 10.3.9 and was wondering about the need to upgrade.

The lady told me that I should wait until October, when Leopard is scheduled to be shipped. The iPod touch won't ship until end of September anyway. When I told her, that I did not know the Leopard release date, she said that this is the scheduled date she was told, but it could change.

 

[thewhitehart]

I'd wait. I mean, honestly, can't you go a few weeks without a new computer into the school year? I know I'm an old man, having graduated in 2001, but I did just fine using the university's computers.

It'll definitely be worth the wait if you're going to end up buying Leopard anyway

 

[Tracer]

Leopard is two months away.

It'll cost $130.

Do you need the $130 or can you afford to wait the two months?

Tracer

 

[vohdoun]

Wait for Leopard, you want to be obsolete in a few weeks? thats what Tiger will be.

How do you work that one out? Things only become obsolete if its no longer supported or can no longer do the job for you.

Not because whatever the masses follow or if someone says so.

You'd probably do great in marketting with statements like that. :sarcasm:


I'd rather have a good reliable stable OS which Tiger is currently than jump head first into Leopard. Not so I can say, I got it first!

 

[Stridder44]

I forget when it comes out (sometime in october?) but just wait like 2 weeks before it comes out, buy your mac within that time, and you should get a thing with it saying you can get leopard for $20.

That way, you can have the new OS for very cheap, and, once you have it, wait a few months before actually installing it (all the major bugs should be worked out by then).

 

[solvs]

Considering no one's used it. Thats a valid statement.

The dev version people are using right now is pretty much what it'll be. Minus some stability. I'm using it myself on my Mac Pro.

Leopard is good, but go ahead and buy now. They aren't going to update the iMac any time soon, they just did, and you can always just get the Leopard upgrade after it comes out. It'd be ~$69 for students. If having your iMac for a month or so before Leopard comes out, if then even, is worth that, there's your answer. Since you need it in 2 weeks, pretty much a no brainer. Updating to Leopard won't be that big of a deal. Wait til it's stable, see what everyone else says first, then buy it when you have free time and upgrade.

 

[ksz]

I purchased my PowerBook G4 when Panther was the current release. A year or so later when Tiger came out I did the upgrade thing (not a clean install, but an in-place upgrade). While there were no problems during the upgrade, there have been many stability problems with various apps ever since.

I don't want to do the upgrade thing again so I'm waiting for Leopard to come preinstalled. I'll replace my aging PowerBook at that time and install only native x86 versions of all my (useful) apps.

No legacy baggage.

 

[vohdoun]

I forget when it comes out (sometime in october?)

End of October.

 

[bertpalmer]

Unless you need it NOW - I would wait.

Although it's not that expensive why waste the money of upgrading and having a clean install would help.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Same deal here, decided I could not/would not wait, needed to purge the M$ daemons in my world, so I went for the Tiger equipped iMac. I'm glad I did without a doubt.

I was sort of hoping there might be a coupon with the machines being sold so close to the release date... I know Apple has done that in the past.

Either way... 10.4 is solid and a well matured product. There will be issues with Panther as all new releases have. I'll most likely pick up Panther though. I'm having a total love affair with all things apple these days!

 

[MarkMS]

Leopard is much, much better. I would wait.

Leopard looks good and may be better, but Tiger is very mature and pretty much all apps run on it. When Leopard comes out, it's going to be a while before the apps are ported to run (or run better).

I had a similar problem when I moved from Panther to Tiger. Had to keep Tiger away from my work computer until my important apps were updated.

So, I would say buy now and then upgrade later when it comes out. You may find out that an app you need may not be ready for Leopard.

Either way... 10.4 is solid and a well matured product. There will be issues with Panther as all new releases have. I'll most likely pick up Panther though. I'm having a total love affair with all things apple these days!

It's Leopard (10.5) rather than Panther (10.3). Don't want you downgrading your installation.
And, yes, there will be issues at first. Plus, as iPhone users, we get to have the Apple Store credit that can be put toward a copy of Leopard.

 

[gadgetgirl85]

I might wait a little while to see if Leopard is worth upgrading to.

 

[cptpower]

I'm looking at getting a MBP, and I'm doing the waiting game for Leopard to ship before ordering. The difference, though, is that you sound like you need it for school, whereas my purchase is simply I'm sick of my Windows env. at home and need the portability of a notebook.

The prospect of a $20-upgrade voucher with Macs purchased close to the release date is a nice thought though; I could certainly deal with that. Big question though; think that'll be valid for US customers only? Seems to me like lots of things like that never make it north of the border to the Great White North.