Mac OS 10.4

[stoid]

Alright! We've had Panther for a few months now (3 months right?) What's next, will Apple be releasing Mac OS 10.4 later this year, or are we going to be taking a hiatus from our yearly OS update?

Anyone with the Apple Developer Connection talk about what Apple is doing with the OS this year?

How long after Jaguar did we first get news of the black cat?

 

[virividox]

well its already on 10.3.2, at this rate we should get a new os by the end of the year, hehe i hope tho that we can use panther for at least a year before they give another upgrade

 

[johnnyjibbs]

Judging on the gap between Jaguar and Panther, we're probably looking at around Christmas time for the next big cat. I don't have any insider news though, sorry.

Maybe this thread may turn into a "what we'd like to see in 10.4" thread?

On that I'm pretty stuck on answers 'cos Panther has most of what I want in an OS . I'd like better speed (to match Windows - the next version of Quartz Extreme?), better contextual menu support still, but these are minor tiny issues. The Finder could still do with some work (speed-wise, but this could be a Panther release).

I guess they'll have to come up with something radically new. Also, it is likely to be the OS that will be out when Longhorn finally arrives.

 

[sethypoo]

Originally posted by virividox
well its already on 10.3.2, at this rate we should get a new os by the end of the year, hehe i hope tho that we can use panther for at least a year before they give another upgrade

Yeah, I think a little space between updates would be nice.

Panther is a great OS for me, so far. Very good security (secure empty trash, FileVault).

If Apple releases another OS in October (dang, that is soon) I think that people are going to get a little annoyed at having to spend $129 ($69 for education) every year to stay "updated" and not be considered obsolete. At the university I'm at now, you have to have OS X, so OS 9 machines are steadily being worked out of the mainstream.

 

[johnnyjibbs]

So far though it hasn't been absolutely necessary to buy Panther. Jaguar still runs the vast majority of programs. Panther is just tempting for things like Expose and the extra nice features. But you don't need Panther like you needed Jaguar. The iApps all work in Jaguar.

That said, it is always tempting to upgrade to the next OS, whether neccessary or not... Maybe it's time for Apple to start having an upgrade path - half price for Panther owners?

 

[Gymnut]

Well when I went by my local Apple store the night Panther was released, one of the guys demo'ing Panther was one of the Programmers. He lived and worked out of Hawaii, being a local boy. He said already the next OS is in the works, but of course could not divulge anything in regards to it. As to when we'll see the next upgrade, it's anybody's guess. I know I'd be in line or pre-order a copy if it were to be released October 04, but I know there'll be others that'll scream for blood that Apple is yet again charging $129 for an upgrade one year later. Guess you can't please everyone, no?

 

[Le Big Mac]

Originally posted by Gymnut
I know there'll be others that'll scream for blood that Apple is yet again charging $129 for an upgrade one year later. Guess you can't please everyone, no?

A $129 annual fee starts to become pretty steep. They'd do better (from a customer relateions standpoint) to allow one-step upgrades for half that. E.g., 10.2 to 10.4 would be full price, but 10.3 to 10.4 would be half-price.

 

[LimeLite]

Originally posted by johnnyjibbs
Also, it is likely to be the OS that will be out when Longhorn finally arrives.

God I hope not. Longhorn has been pushed back to an unspecified time in 2006. I hope that there's not only going to be 1 update between now and then. Because 2006 doesn't necessarily mean January.

 

[Lanbrown]

Originally posted by johnnyjibbs
So far though it hasn't been absolutely necessary to buy Panther. Jaguar still runs the vast majority of programs. Panther is just tempting for things like Expose and the extra nice features. But you don't need Panther like you needed Jaguar. The iApps all work in Jaguar.

That said, it is always tempting to upgrade to the next OS, whether neccessary or not... Maybe it's time for Apple to start having an upgrade path - half price for Panther owners?

They already have an upgrade price. Since every Mac comes with an OS, they are all upgrades. In the PeeCee world, you have people building their own machines and thus, some need new licenses while other are truly just upgrading.

Also, as soon as one OS is released, the developers are put towards the upcoming one. Usually when the release candidates come out, the most experienced staff are put on the next version. They are probably discussing what needs to be added as well as what the hardware guys are going to add. Then some of the staff are kept on the soon to be released to continue the bug fixes and supplements thereafter. After that is done, they spend most of the time with the others on the next release. Chip manufacturers do the same thing. Sun, IBM and Intel all have teams working on processors three generations ahead. When one is done, they get reallocated to the next one. The top guys are always on the farthest one out as that is what the breakthroughs usually are.