I only ran panther on this box for a week or so. So in comparison to Tiger I don't see too much.
The dashboard is a cute toy I have been playing with but is nothing spectacular.
I don't notice any performance improvement but I am running a box that might not show the difference (it's a 500mhz 384 MB G3).
I don't use Safari as my primary browser (on Macs Opera is my default) so I haven't seen the improvements there.
I only started using Mail after Tiger so I don't know of many specific improvements (though I heard that it added exchange support). I don't like the mail program much and probably won't use a mail reader on my mac.
Automator and Spotlight are what I am most interested in, but I have yet to use Automator and I don't have enough information on my box to test Spotlight's quality in search results (seems good so far).
My overall take is that it is a solid Mac OS, and in comparison to the other Mac OSes I have used I like it. But the Mac platform doens't have the apps I need for my primary desktop (I use Windows for workstations) and doesn't have the performance I need for server apps (I use linux for servers and don't like resource-using GUIs in a server) so it's probably going to be a "kids computer" for me. Just browsing on it occasionally when I am lying down and my other laptops are not available and the occasional DVD while I work on a desktop.
So while I am not able to use it as my main box I still like the OS enough that I plan to always maintain a Mac in my collection. I have a KVM switch on the way to setup a multi-OS home office (mainly to add a local linux box) and may add a Mac Mini to the network.
Anywho, I like it more than I can use it is my ultimate take on Tiger.
I feel Spotlight is very useful when you have multiple files, with vague file names, in a complex folder structure among HDD's.
Oh I'm sold on desktop search as a concept. I use or have used every major destop search app on the market and I'm happy to see it addressed on an OS level like Mac and Windows are now doing.
I just don't have enough info on my box to tell whether Spotlight does a better job than, say, Google Desktop.
quick question to you have to buy the Mac OSes or are they like open source stuff?
Everyone keeps telling me to get a Mac for the audio\video stuff I do and I was wondering is that going to cost another arm and leg?
My answer is simple. A Mac is good for music, but you will have a further need for good headphones.
Macs get a lot of play for audio and video authoring, but I think it has more to do with arty types being attracted to Macs than any real advantage Macs have (I've yet to hear of a single legitimate one).
As to whether Mac is open source, no it is not. It's the most expensive computer platform and you need to buy proprietary hardware to run the software.
In short, if you are expecting to use a PC and install a Mac OS forget about it. For serious video authoring you will likely have to spend thousands on the software/hardware bundle.
At work we just bought 2 boxes at over $3000 each for the videographers doing our reality show.
Macs are anything but economical.
Well I'm getting ready to upgrade to an athlon 64 3800 - but had been thinking and rethinking the Mac and you are probably right about why the Mac folks are recommending. I'll probably just put my programs on the 3800 and add an audigy audio card. Not going to spend $3,000, this is just a hobby for now - LOL
Well, I broke down and ordered my Tiger upgrade.
So far, I loved Panther, so I guess Tiger will be just a bit
better.
I love the
VLC media player on Mac OS X. You can take a snapshot with it while playing a DVD.
I found my text editor candidates:
Smultron, SubEthaEdit and TextWrangler. From very casual observation I think Smultron will be my choice for coding.
I also installed Microsoft Office. I am unlikely to use any of it's components on a Mac however as I don't plan to do much business work on a Mac.
Craven de Kere wrote:Which brings me to a Mac question:
Has anyone ever used the XP Pro Virtual PC emulation on a Mac?OS emulation doesn'thave a good history, but I hear good things about the Mac's Windows emulation and would like to know more before we buy it.
Hey Craven,
Did you ever get VirtualPC? I got it in order to run a small Windows app and have been having some problems with a USB device crashing my computer (kernal panics) while running WindowsXP on VirtualPC. Just wondering if you ever got it and if you have been having similar issues.
I never did use VirtualPC. The mac's not been doing much these days.
well i went to a film school, and they originally had a whole bunch of PCs running there editing suits, which was a disaster, crash after crash on all of them, my friend used to want to die (he was an editor) anyway they upgraded last year to IMacs and no complaints from the ediotrs no more crashes. My other friend (professional) editor has a PC based suite cost him an arm and a leg uses adobe premier, but he hates his suite as same issues really as my film schools editing suites, freezing and crashing, so he has just invested in a G5 intel and can't wait to see the thing. look in the film industry and music industry it seems like no other computer can compare. Yes windows is capable of it but at the price you land up paying for windows based PC that is capable of what a mac can do you might as well by a Mac.
Anyway I'm pissed cos alhtough got a nice set up here (1.5 ghz 1 gig ram) mac mini they've just released the intel duo core ones here in SA and I want one so bad. Now see DVD rw, bluetooth and wireless are standard on all the new macs. Yeah they look cool yeah so what? I mean as far as i'm concerned all objects should be designed well and why shouldn't you want to own something that aesthetically pleasing.
Haven't had one probelm with my mac (had it for 4 months) and for some one who never owned one before it took me like a day to get to know how too, there's still functions on my PC that i don't understand. What I love the most is the drag and drop from just about any program.
Macs
Zomgz. I feel so in heaven. MACS RULE.
<3 <3 <3 Macs
I've turned 3 peopel into mac lovesr within 3 months. w00pw00pw00p
mmmmm anyway
i have the mac mini. grr... my bro has imac though
IMO, the best advertising I've ever seen. Damn good stuff.
Already posted my own thread about it but, I just gotta share it here too.
I just ordered a 22" widescreen LCD flat-panel monitor for my G5. It'll be here next week. heehee
