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jason2811

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 8, 2006
729
2
Is it safe to buy Leopard the week it comes out? Are there usually bugs in the OS at the time of the release and one should wait a until the next decimal update before buying? For example is Leopard is released as 10.5.0 should one wait until 10.5.1 before buying it or is it safe to but when it is released? How has this played out in the past with Tiger, Panther, etc.? Thanks.
 
I think the last few major releases have been in pretty good shape right out of the gate. The .1 update has come 2-3 weeks after the initial launch for the last few releases, so they're on top of any issues that may arise.

I would be happy to jump on it as soon as it's released.
 
Whilst I buy Mac OSX releases the day they come out, I wished I had waited at least until 10.4.3 when the wireless problem was sorted out, this basically meant that every time I turned the Mac on it crashed my wireless network when the airport card was turned on.

For Leopard I will wait for a while and will buy a new system with it preinstalled!
 
OSX updates are nothing like Windows updates. Generally they finish it before they sell it to you. I would have no concerns about installing immediately.
 
I beg to differ. These boards were clogged with people with problems using the 10.4.0 release with many claiming that it should have been beta.

I see no advantage to being on the cutting edge with OS releases, particularly where work is concerned. Bought the box long in advance but didn't upgrade the home machine to Tiger until 10.4.4... work machines are still on 10.3.6 :D

And immediately upon upgrading the home machine, I discovered that my modem drivers wouldn't work so I had to go the manufacturer's site to find a patch which by then had been released. I could say the same thing for many apps that I use at home including Suitcase, Retrospect and Tech Tool Pro.

Let others be the guinea pigs... and read here and MacInTouch amongst others to find out how people are faring.
 
The original release of 10.4 was awful. I managed to get it early and posted on the forums about it, and lots of people genuinely believed that I'd acquired a unstable hacked pirated copy. Then they got it for themselves and realised how bad it was.

I didn't buy 10.3 at launch, I jumped across to 10.3.2 when I bought a new G4. I therefore skipped any showstopping bugs. The same thing happened with Jaguar, I started at 10.2.4 with the purchase of an iBook.

As for Leopard, I plan to get it preinstalled on a laptop of some sort.
 
I think you'll always be safer waiting for the .1 release, but I, for one, don't have the self control to wait with a new Apple OS box staring at me.
 
I'll probably buy it (and install it obviously) but I don't rely on my computers at home for anything major. I won't install it on the office machines for a while though.

I'm a good little SteveFan™. I'll buy it as soon as it's released and then kindly report all its bugs to him, as they appear. :cool:
 
Installing a first version of a Big OS X update is not like buying the first revision of Intel Macs. When upgrades become available you will be fine.

So it doesn't really matter when you buy Leopard, it is rather a matter of how long do you want to wait to experience Leopard. I say buying it right away is a good way to go and you could possibly score a discount (if they have any specials).
 
I bought 10.4 on launch day, my modem drivers didn't work.............. but then again they still dont (last time I checked) so I had to get a wireless modem and everything was fine.

This time im il be in a the market for a MBP so I wont be buying on launch day.
 
Ive done a search of the Forums but I cant seem to find exactly what i'm after.

When Leopard is released I'm going to be buying it, and this is what i'd like to know.

1.) Will it install over the top of Tiger? And therefore i wont have to install all my applications again.( Not really a problem for the programs i have discs for, but I know that for some programs i only purchased a digital download for Id struggle with. * and more likely than not no matter how diligent i am forget to write down the name of, or even back them up*)


2.) Will it be possible to install it independently from Tiger, on another partition.
 
StokeLee said:
Ive done a search of the Forums but I cant seem to find exactly what i'm after.

When Leopard is released I'm going to be buying it, and this is what i'd like to know.

1.) Will it install over the top of Tiger? And therefore i wont have to install all my applications again.( Not really a problem for the programs i have discs for, but I know that for some programs i only purchased a digital download for Id struggle with. * and more likely than not no matter how diligent i am forget to write down the name of, or even back them up*)


2.) Will it be possible to install it independently from Tiger, on another partition.

Yes and Yes
 
jason2811 said:
Is it safe to buy Leopard the week it comes out?.

It is safe in that there is no risk of being mauled by the leopard. However, patience is always recommended. Three things in this world are a virtual certainty ... rising prices, madness in the Middle East and assorted problems and annoyances when new operating systems are introduced.
 
I'm gonna buy it, but now that they've gone to those tiny little boxes I hope they still include the "Welcome to..." booklet with the big X on it - I'm collecting them.

Got 10.3 and 10.4 so I hope to get all the ones from OSX until they release a version that finally renders me obsolete.

Ooh!! And Apple stickers!!
 
I'll be buying a family pack as soon as the release date is announced, but I won't upgrade until I have a free weekend to do a format/install on my PowereBook and an archive/install on the other Macs in the house.
 
I too bought 10.4 on release date. A few days later I had to get a new computer. Basically, everything failed. Now if this can be attributed to 10.4 who knows or if it was just my computers time no one will ever know. In the end I will probably wait a bit with the new release.
 
I will be buying and installing 10.5 on release date assuming there are no widespread reports of catastrophic problems within the first few hours of release.

I installed Tiger on release day, and have had no major problems with any of the point releases of Tiger including 10.4.0.
 
Will there be a problem with programs not transfering over. I know when I installed 10.4 on my powerbook I lost iMovie, iPhoto and all of those things. Will the same thing happen with 10.5? Was this problem even normal?
 
Not only will I be buying Leopard on the release date (a nice Family Pack), but I'll probably re-join as a developer to get the beta's.

I agree that businesses should not upgrade immediately, and I realize that there is likely to be some flakiness. However, I've never encountered any problems, so it's not guaranteed.

On the plus side, unlike with point releases (well, point-point, like 10.4.3, 10.4.4, etc.), a major upgrade always forces me to do the proper thing, which is to back up my systems completely and, usually, install from scratch.

So perhaps the .0 releases do suck, but the fact that I've cleaned up so much junk on my systems before installing them yields, for me, a net gain.
 
Blue Velvet said:
I beg to differ. These boards were clogged with people with problems using the 10.4.0 release with many claiming that it should have been beta...
Yeah, I remember that. But you know, everyone has a different experience. I've been installing every major version of OS X as my main OS within weeks after release (before any .1 updates) all the way since the Public Beta. I've never had a single problem.

I guess I'm just lucky? Not likely anymore, as I probably just jinxed myself for the Leopard release. Shoot! :D
 
for sure i'll buy leopard once it comes out...

but if you ask me if i would buy vista when it comes out.. that's a no no lol:D
 
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