What's going to be so revolutionary about Leopard?

I'm considering a new Macbook once Leopard is released and I was wondering what new additions will be brought to Leopard that I won't be able to find in an OS such as Windows XP and Vista. I've been a hardcore PC user as of lately, but I wouldn't mind a change. I plan to use my Macbook (if I purchase one) for school work, internet, basic multimedia, and something to carry around everywhere for convenience.

 

Have you taken a look at Apple's Leopard Website?

 

its got a cool name :yes:

 

i hear it and i think of LeoTard! and thats what i think about OS X

 

it would take too much to explain all the new features that are in Leopard. I am waiting to get my mac for it to be standard and out for a little bit just to make sure there are no problems (sorry, old habit of waiting on a new OS is due to windows). Check out apple's website, If you like Linux at all, you will love leopard.

 

i'd like to know the same thing.

 

As Xander said, check out Apples Leopard website....
If you're familiar with OS X then it's more of the same with those new features, and more.

Which features are killer just depends on what you need the computer for. TimeMachine (snazzy backup utility) is pretty cool. Many new features in the interface. Added server connection features in iCal(calendar) are cool for small businesses. New Finder (file browser) features are impressive etc. Quicklook also.
64 bit from ground up is also cool.

And if you're not familiar with OS X, then prepare not to be amazed.
I only got my first mac 6 months ago, and never have I enjoyed an interface so much. I usually don't notice it, am rarely wowed by it etc.
You would think that would be bad, but no!
I don't notice it because I don't have to think about it. I often wonder "hmmm, how could I do that?" then I notice the "that" button, press it and the machine does what I asked.

I run music recording apps with external hardware, and it really just works. I've spent less time on maintenance (both on the OS and everything to do with audio and dual monitors) than I did getting those things to WORK on XP.

The big thing about OS X is not the snazzy, cool features. It's the features you don't notice!

 

Arikol is right. Apples theme right now is simple. They want to get the most done with out doing much to get there. They have always been this way. With the first out of box internet machine (the old egg shaped iMacs) to the simple set up of everything the have! They want you to enjoy using their machines and not have to think much about using them. It really caters to the laziness of the american mind (don't knock me, I am not bashing on it). That is why I love it. Very simple, very modern. Ease of use is great. They are also going to be including some programs that normally didn't come with it. The website does a great job on describing them. (with video too )

 

The website for Leopard is quite informative.

For current Mac users, the new Finder and Quicklook (as well as the new Mail) look extremely promising in terms of efficiency.

There is a certain degree of 'bloatware' within MacOS as well; but *all* of its most important functions *really are* useful; and what's best, they REALLY don't mess up system resources. So, for example, a feature like Quicklook may look like an unnecessary gimmick at first; but it will definitely be a huge improvement over the current 'preview' app.; and it's sure to save me, at least, a lot of time. In general, there's very little in MacOS that is merely a gimmick.

 

Look on this website. Wikipedia to be specific.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Leopard#New_features

 

I love wikipedia, but I would suggest Apple's own website any day over it.

 

There is absolutely nothing revolutionary about Leopard at all. Leopard would at best be described as 'evolutionary'.

It is, as you can see even by the versioning, an incremental upgrade. There's nothing particularly novel about any of the features that hasn't been done before, either by Apple itself or by other companies.

It is, however, a much-needed upgrade at the least so that OSX will not be so out of date.

Time Machine - it's a backup utility. Nothing particularly novel here. It'll work with AirDisk, but the AirDisk's been around for quite a while, and it's only common sense that Time Machine would work with it. It would be strange if it didn't. It'll check versions, but versioning has been around forever as well on both webdav and other backup utilities.

Front Row + Photo Booth: the former's a gimmick and both are already included with new Macs anyway.

Spaces: there are a number of multi/virtual desktop solutions out there already from the very basic Asus bloatware that's preinstalled with Asus laptops to more commercial products. Great idea, just not particularly "revolutionary".

Spotlight: boolean searches. Nothing new here. Even some of the better OSX 3rd party apps already support full regular expressions as search strings.

Finder: coverflow is a gimmick and consumes more resources than the questionable practical benefits it'd bring. Pretty though. Sidebar is good. I'm hoping for more practical and useful upgrades to this though than just the facelift.

3D dock: nothing new here. Plenty of desktop customization software lets you do this already.

Stack: Good idea. Not particularly novel. But a very necessary upgrade to OSX.

QuickLook: Also a good idea. Just not very novel considering many of the file explorers out on the market offer this already (including some for OSX).

Mail: why do I get the feeling it's becoming more and more like an all-in-one Outlook program? This is NOT a good thing. If I wanted Outlook I'd use Entourage or Windows.

Random interface upgrades: eh.

Leopard isn't like Vista coming on the heels of a 5-year old XP. Tiger itself is relatively "new" and the upgrades are just that - upgrades. Nothing revolutionary. Nothing particularly new. Just necessary.

I'm not saying Leopard's not worth it. I'd be the first one lining up at my academic store to buy it when it comes out.

But people are putting unrealistic expectations of this "brand new OS" deal and are just setting themselves up for disappointment. Apple's to blame in part for the hype in which they advertised it too. It's not meant to be "OS XI" that so many people are expecting it to be. Inevitably after it's released, I bet you'll see 20 threads here saying how disappointed people were with the few new features that it had and etc. etc. etc.

 

Its not going to be anything revolutionary, just merely evolutionary. Thats not to say it won't come with some nice features and subtle changes that everyone likes. More importantly, it will keep whats good about OS X going.

 

agree with the evolutionary, not revolutionary bit.

I will say though, that even those features or upgrades that are in no way revolutionary seem really well implemented (except maybe the 3d dock, on the side it looks crap)
I've used backup programs, but TimeMachine has a novel and clever interface. That's Apples beauty, not that they're doing any technical wonders, but the devil is in the details.

 

taelrak - you got my hair all up on it's end with that first sentence, but after reading your post, I can agree. I think a lot of people are putting a lot of hype on it for just being an upgrade. It is much like Window's service packs but work when you install them . Keep in mind that for some Window users, Mac itself is revolutionary. I agree that a lot of the features are already out (mainly from it's linux grandmother) but it is the way that Apple implements them.

I have to hand it to Apple's marketing team that they really know how to market an item. From Apple's commercials to their store layouts.

I also love that when I walk into an Apple store, the sales person knows what they are talking about and I can ask them intelligent questions. No joke, I have walked into a certain company with a price tag shaped name with the best buy in town and asked their sales people questions. It seems they only train the floor people how to sell to grandma. Apple trains how to sell from the 8 year old wanting an iPod to grandma wanting a simple iMac to the advance Mac Pro user.

What can I say, I love Apple and the way they think.

 

Yeah, Leopard will be an improvement, but so far the features announced aren't going to be astonishing. Personally, I actually feel a little underwhelmed by it, considering Steve Jobs talked about it having "Top Secret features" back in WWDC 2006.

With that said, its still a great improvement, and I will upgrade to it. Its just not as much as I expected.

 

I agree with taelrak, while Leopard will have some nice evolutionary features, they don't justify the $129 pricetag or even $207 (£99) in the UK when you can get oem vista ultimate from amazon for less than £90

 

I guess for the Other OS Users this will be revolutionary. Much like curiosity killed the cat?--oops killed boring old windows ;-)

 

The thing is that OSX always got some features after windows got them... XP could play DVD's before OSX (anyone remember the mess that was cheetah?), Google brought desktop search to XP before Apple included it in its OS... Stardock's ObjectDock already has the features of Leopards dock, their DesktopX had widgets/gadgets... However, one thing that Apple wowed me with was Exposé... Never will alt-tab be sufficient enough...

 

hey there is an expose for vista here

 

Nice find thanks, but I'm using Otaku Software's TopDesk for XP I've also got ObjectDock and Windowblinds so if I wanted to I could Install the OSX skins and with ObjectDock already having a stacked dock I can simulate a Leopard GUI lol

 

link please, Man, what we do to be on the other side...shame on us!

 

But for folks coming from Windows, it sure looks revolutionary. I watched his WWDC 2007 talk on Leopard, and I was pretty wowed by the features. You Mac vets might be starting to under-appreciate Mac OS! Maybe re-immersion into Windows eek: ) for a few moths would rekindle your excitement!

 

Yeah, I'm surprised at how many mac clone windowblinds skins there are... it's freaky... why not just buy a mac if the GUI is so amazing (imo some of the custom windowblinds skins are way better..)

 

Mac veteran? Me? I've only had my MacBook since April-May of this year!

Yeah, the new features are nice, but I was looking for something that would really blow Vista away, considering how Steve Jobs made the comment of the "Top Secret Features" back in WWDC 2006.