Apple releases Mac OS X 10.5.6

Fire up Software Update to get the latest update to Mac OS X Leopard.

(Credit: Josh Lowensohn/CNET)

MobileMe syncing improvements and security fixes headline the list of changes unveiled with the release of Apple's Mac OS X 10.5.6 update Monday.

The file should be appearing in the Software Update window at any moment now, depending on how often you've set Software Update to check for new software. The sixth update to Leopard, originally released in October 2007, comes with the usual range of tweaks, bug fixes, and security improvements.

One update of note concerns MobileMe, which is now capable of pushing updates made to calendars or contact information from the Web or an iPhone to the primary Mac within a minute. Apple had numerous problems with the launch of the MobileMe service earlier this year, and the latest update should help fix one of the more pressing issues still outstanding with the $99-a-year service.

A full list of the issues addressed with 10.5.6 can be found here, while a list of the security improvements should appear here relatively soon. If you want to download the update from Apple's Web site, go here, but the Software Update function is the easiest way to get updated.

[Mr. Dee]

...and they say Vista is buggy, heh!

[Perry_Clease]

Troll

[fusillijerry]

@Mr. Dee (I pity the fool)<br />I don't see mass migrations from OSX to Vista, a' hem. True all OSes have their faults, but keep your trolling to yourself. This is a nice update, but I can't wait for SnowLeopard.

[Renegade Knight]

It is. It's just not news anymore because it's old and stale news.

[Seaspray0]

All software vendors release updates. It's a fact of life. You can't single out any one software vendor because they release updates too.

[Mr. Dee]

I am not a troll, I am just showing both sides of the story. Apple is no better than Windows or Linux. When Fedora 10 was released a couple weeks ago, it had about 150 updates ready and waiting. Vista's misinformed reputation was caused by how it was presented on systems that were released in January of 2007. Apple faces similar problems, but to the Apple Cult it does exist because you people just block your minds or inhale the SJ RDF. But accept the fact, Apple makes buggy products, <br />- the Leopard GA in 2007 deleting code when you move data from partition to partition <br />- Mobile Me fiasco back in July <br />- 3G network stability <br />- iTunes deleting user libraries a few years ago. <br /><br />I would expect this stuff from third party hackers, but not the developer/manufacturer of the product. Lets not even get into the hardware issues, Apple users still having issues with 4 GB of RAM in their laptops, it goes on and on. Apple is a flawed platform. I just hope the persons here calling me a troll, fool can pull the plug and take a closer look at this "grandeur" Company and realize its nothing but a fruit full of worms.

[fusillijerry]

@Mr Dee, you are still contributing nothing related to the update with your post, hence you are a troll.<br /><br />I don't care about your platform evangelism, and most of your statements are as zealous as those you attribute to Mac faithful. Use whatever you want, but don't **** in the pool.

[Dalkorian]

by Mr. Dee December 15, 2008 1:55 PM PST<br />I am not a troll, I am just showing both sides of the story. Apple is no better than Windows or Linux. <br />---------------------------------------------------------------<br />BS. Your ignorance is showing Mr. Dee. All platforms have bugs and the reason is simple - it's all written by people, who themselves are imperfect. But remind us again who has the lions share of exploits?<br /><br />Go ahead, give us the tired "market share" argument. Ignore the fact that OS 9 had viruses with a smaller market share than OS X has. Ignore the fact that OS X has zero viruses and only a handful of trojans created in the lab (anything you have to click to install, then enter the admin password and click continue to allow the install to proceed is a "trojan" by definition, not a virus).<br /><br />Ignore all facts and keep cheering for fista, your owner and master. I wonder how much you'll keep cheering for fista the next time WGA blows up and accuses YOU of being a pirate, denying you access to the entire winblows partition of the machine in the process (it's happened already, if not to you then you were one of the lucky ones which means you have a better chance of suffering the next bug).<br /><br />Keep convincing yourself that fista has any value whatsoever when compared to a REAL operating system like Linux or OS X. Maybe someday you'll succeed at it!

[Mr. Dee]

It does not matter what I say, you will just counter it with ignorance, but I guess when you try to talk to a bunch of brick walls, that's the result.

[Perry_Clease]

"by Mr. Dee December 15, 2008 7:08 PM PST<br />It does not matter what I say, you will just counter it with ignorance, but I guess when you try to talk to a bunch of brick walls, that's the result."<br /><br />If projection was your purpose when you came here then your project was a success.

[Ipopngraphics]

The usual updates, nothing to write home about. Funny thing though... Apple manages to fix all the "bugs" before someone figures out how to take advantage of them... In the case of Windows...7 years is a very long time to wait to fix something.... ROFL.

[ittesi259]

Funnier was an excuse that they took so long to not break programs....yet I guess thats not a requirement of a full OS upgrade for them....love it. Now I use both...but thats my biggest issue there....I don't expect full support forever...but I hate replacing peripherals with 98, then XP, then vista again....it gets old.

[celticbrewer]

Really Ipopngraphics? The researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology would disagree with you on that. <br /> <br />"What they found: 'Apple was below 20 [unpatched vulnerabilities at disclosure] consistently before 2005,' said Stefan Frei, one of the researchers involved in the study. 'Since then, they are very often above. So if you have Apple and compare it to Microsoft, the number of unpatched vulnerabilities are higher at Apple." <br /> <br />But, hey, use what you're happy with. I've only had one vulnerability run-in in my 23 years of having a PC and that's because I visted a very very sketchy site. I'd call that pretty robust considering most code out there goes after windows rather than the other OSes.

[ittesi259]

@celticbrewer, <br /> <br />That may be true however as far as installing malicious programs the system architecture in OSX has trumped Windows for a while in not letting that action go unnoticed. MS made improvements in that with Vista and I give them credit for it, but they are playing catchup in that area. I highly doubt an Apple retail employee ever sold a computer with a store made CD to remove a virus like I did with the Blaster stuff....because the second they had an internet connection they had it.

[AlanHub]

ittesi i know you mean no harm, but these specious attacks coming from mac fanatics is outrageous. OSX doesnt have as many viruses not because its architecture is the most stable in the world, but because it barely has a 10% market share. Moreover, at any time i am on my macbook, i can launch terminal and disrupt any application.

[weeman17]

Apple seems to being a more thorough job at looking for OS weaknesses then Microsoft. I wish you though you could get half off your new computer when you sent in your old one.

[Rover8]

Oh my god...I am flabergasted by the sheer number of computer illiterates still out there. <br /> <br />People, Apple is just a marketing company and that's all. <br /> <br />I am truly amazed that people buy these obsolete buggy iGarbage from apple...hats of to their marketing department for conning and brainwashing so many idiots out there...But, I bought an HP iPaq for a couple of hundred dollars - it came with a phone, full featured GPS with voice directions, and oh yea a full Windows Mobile OS long before Crapple's iPhone ever existed. <br /> <br />And Apple Mac OS X is based on FreeBSD, an open-source Unix look-alike, available FREE for the PC back in 1992, with a artsy-fartsy GUI. Whoopy Doo.. <br />It is too expensive, too buggy, and the only software available is a bunch of dinky puzzles written by 14 year olds. No engineering or scientific applications available for "Mac OS X"... <br /> <br />Apple has a long history of fraud, racism and corruption...Steve Jobs and Nancy Heinen (and her shyster subordinates) are both knowing criminal participants in the stock options scam, and were caught trying to cover it up. <br /> <br />They were caught red-handed in early 2006 when a former employee who was cheated out of all of his stock after being wrongfully dismissed, filed a lawsuit against Apple Con-puter. <br /> <br />In short, dont waste your time and money on apple...

[Riquez-001]

No engineering or scientific applications available for "Mac OS X"... oh really? Why don't you tell that to the people at Sabeti Lab at Harvard? http://www.sabetilab.org/<br /><br />http://www.apple.com/science/solutions/chemistry.html<br />http://www.apple.com/science/medicine/medicalimaging/<br />http://www.apple.com/science/solutions/genomicsproteomics.html<br />http://www.apple.com/science/solutions/microscopy.html<br /><br />Since OS X can run Windows (and/or Linux) at the same time, you have access to a lot more apps than any other platform.

[Dalkorian]

Aww Riquez-001, don't hit Rover8 with facts. That's not nice, he can't handle concepts like "thought" and "truth". He wants to hate, so let him. We see right through it. I mean come on, did you read that self-contradicting dribble?<br /><br />"And Apple Mac OS X is based on FreeBSD, an open-source Unix look-alike, available FREE for the PC back in 1992, with a artsy-fartsy GUI. Whoopy Doo.. <br />It is too expensive, too buggy, and the only software available is a bunch of dinky puzzles written by 14 year olds."<br /><br />Didn't you see that? It's free and yet too expensive. It's been out since 1992, yet too buggy. The "dinky puzzles" comment gave this troll away for me, unless you consider "chess" to be a "dinky puzzle". Or did he mean Automator? iCal? iTunes? Spaces??<br /><br />He's just mad because his Mac didn't come with solitare pre-installed.

[weeman17]

try programing and make you own operating system then come talk to me. i have windows on my mac as well but security is no one of microsoft's strong point. i told my dad the not use ie at work because of the recent security flow. we handle people financial information. i am just saying look for flaws all the time, even if it your own product.

[Ipopngraphics]

@ itties<br /><br />I use both too... but my Windows PC is for gaming only, i cannot trust my valuable work files to such a unstable environment.

[Mr. Dee]

You mean doing nothing on your Mac but surf the web valuable work?

[applusr]

@Mr. Dee<br /><br />Go use your vista, not all working environments use PC crap.

[Dalkorian]

No, he means doing what he turned the computer on for valuable work, instead of powering the machine on and spending the next 2 hours scanning it for malware. <br /><br />Assuming M$ allows you to boot it, that is. Look up WGA Mr. Dee. You are a slave to the whims of M$.<br /><br />Without walls, who needs windows or gates?

[goodspeed8701]

Windows is stillmore secured... Except you are a bone head

[Rover8]

Oh my god...I am flabergasted by the sheer number of computer illiterates still out there. <br /> <br />People, Apple is just a marketing company and that's all. <br /> <br />I am truly amazed that people buy these obsolete buggy iGarbage from apple...hats of to their marketing department for conning and brainwashing so many idiots out there...But, I bought an HP iPaq for a couple of hundred dollars - it came with a phone, full featured GPS with voice directions, and oh yea a full Windows Mobile OS long before Crapple's iPhone ever existed. <br /> <br />And Apple Mac OS X is based on FreeBSD, an open-source Unix look-alike, available FREE for the PC back in 1992, with a artsy-fartsy GUI. Whoopy Doo.. <br />It is too expensive, too buggy, and the only software available is a bunch of dinky puzzles written by 14 year olds. No engineering or scientific applications available for "Mac OS X"... <br /> <br />Apple has a long history of fraud, racism and corruption...Steve Jobs and Nancy Heinen (and her shyster subordinates) are both knowing criminal participants in the stock options scam, and were caught trying to cover it up. <br /> <br />They were caught red-handed in early 2006 when a former employee who was cheated out of all of his stock after being wrongfully dismissed, filed a lawsuit against Apple Con-puter. <br /> <br />In short, dont waste your time and money on apple...

[Perry_Clease]

BS

[nickh2]

"No engineering or scientific applications available for "Mac OS X"... "<br /><br />http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/math_science/<br /><br /><br />No. I don't suppose there is...

[mikegraham8]

You know, Rover8, after the first couple of lines I was willing to go with my typical 'everyone no matter how poorly informed has an opinion' as a response to what seemed like a flame. But then, I read on.<br /><br />First of all, you obviously have no qualified experience with any of the iApplications or you would know better than the applications being buggy and obsolete.<br /><br />What does you buying an iPaq versus an iPhone? And you really can't expect anyone whose ever used Windows Mobile to think it is some sort of powerhouse operating system. I have cash registers using it as a basis for their operating system - does that somehow make the operating system even more robust?<br /><br />You are correct that OS X is based off FreeBSD, however development of FreeBSD began in 1993. Windows on the other hand uses DOS which according to Windows own COMMAND.COM began its life in 1981. And according to most reliable sources Gates and Co. bought it before then. So, what does that have to do with anything?<br /><br />You saying all that is available for the OS X platform is a bunch of dinky puzzles written by 14 year olds is just plain garbage. Actually, everything else you are saying is garbage so there is no reason to continue on.

[applusr]

Yes and windows is still based on MS-DOS from the 1980's. hey is your ipaq still working? I bet not, my apple IIe still running, and still boots faster than any windows machine.

[RompStar_420]

Rover8 - you are biased, so you can't make choices without prejudice. <br /><br />I make decisions by observing my natural wants, needs and usage. I find my self using OS X all the time and loving it and I don't see my self using Windows all the time, just once in a while at home, but I do use it at work everyday, because that's what they use here, but there is lots of Macs and only Macs in the Graphics Arts Department, no PCs, no where, like walking on a different planet.

[Vegaman_Dan]

I'm glad to see the next service pack for OS X has been released. This should help address a lot of the concerns users have brought up regarding some missing / slow features. <br /> <br />Any update is a good one in my book.

[Dalkorian]

I can't argue with that comment - updates are a good thing!

[jinx101a]

If this were a Vista article is would have an accompanying commentary about the decline of Microsoft and how they can't get code right the first time. Since it's Apple, they just provide the facts (which I'd rather see and I'm glad for in this instance... I usually expect some kind of gushing love fest instead of facts in regards to Apple).

[ittesi259]

Oh well sorry if the fanboys dissappointed so I'll do it then their place.... <br /> <br />OH MY GOD A NEW UPDATE TO LEOPARD!!! VISTA SUCKS PRAISE STEVE!! <br /> <br />Ok...happy now? <br /> <br />Sheesh.

[Spyers]

The auto update on this is a joke. It's crashing installations all over the place. http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8629532. I've been fighting with it for hours now.

[Perry_Clease]

Have you personally had problems with the auto update?

[ittesi259]

This is why I never do the following.... <br /> <br />The auto update....or update immediately to start with....no need to since I'm having zero problems as it is right now. <br /> <br />Try the combo updater you can download at apple's website.

[Spyers]

Yup, I'm still working on getting it applied. I'm shuddering at the prospect of running into this at work when end users go to do the auto update. <br /> <br />I've tried the combo updater, but it's telling me my hard disk doesn't qualify.

[Perry_Clease]

What is your configuration, Mac model and such?

[Spyers]

Macbook Pro <br />2.6 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo <br />2 gb RAM <br /> <br />I use this Mac to test various macbook installations and applications. It's currently setup running 10.5.4. I thought it'd be good to see how the update reacted to a slightly older version since my company's user base tends to be all over the map in terms of versions. Right now I'm working on loading 10.5.5 to see if that needs to be installed before 10.5.6. I wouldn't think that it should matter, but software companies do the strangest things sometimes. <br /> <br />After that I'll be running the verification tool. <br /> <br />The joys of and IT department eh?

[Stormspace]

@Spyers<br /><br />Maybe your one month old hard drive isn't supported in the latest release of Mac OS? :)<br /><br />Sorry, couldn't resist given Apples track record on backwards compatibility.

[Perry_Clease]

"Sorry, couldn't resist given Apples track record on backwards compatibility."<br /><br />Specifically what is Apple's track record on backwards compatibility?

[Stormspace]

You must be a yung'un. Apple is notorious for abandoning hardware from previous generations. The most recent example is the lack of firewire in some of the new laptops. Previously they abandoned SCSI which forced upgrades on users that had invested heavily in SCSI peripherals. <br /><br />Also from Wikipedia "With each new version, Mac OS X evolved away from a focus on backward compatibility with the earlier versions of Mac OS, toward an emphasis on "digital lifestyle"

[ckh1272]

by Stormspace-"You must be a yung'un. Apple is notorious for abandoning hardware from previous generations. The most recent example is the lack of firewire in some of the new laptops. Previously they abandoned SCSI which forced upgrades on users that had invested heavily in SCSI peripherals. <br /><br />Also from Wikipedia "With each new version, Mac OS X evolved away from a focus on backward compatibility with the earlier versions of Mac OS, toward an emphasis on "digital lifestyle""<br /><br />And you must be a little short sighted. What happened to floppy drives on the majority of Windows PCs'? Or SCSI on PCs'?? Macs weren't the only ones that drop these technologies. It's called technology. Get used to it or stay with you're legacy system. Tech companies make these changes, but they don't force you to buy them. Think about it!!

[Perry_Clease]

"You must be a yung'un. "<br /><br />No, I am old graybeard now and a Mac user/owner since 1989, so I have some experience with the backward compatibility of Apple products.<br /><br />"And you must be a little short sighted. What happened to floppy drives on the majority of Windows PCs'? Or SCSI on PCs'?? Macs weren't the only ones that drop these technologies. It's called technology. Get used to it or stay with you're legacy system. Tech companies make these changes, but they don't force you to buy them. Think about it!!"<br /><br />Ask him to try installing Vista on an older PC, or even running it on a new low end (read inexpensive) PC.

[m4him]

After being an application programmer for 25 years on Microsoft products I bought a machine with Vista. I really hated it. I tried to install XP but there were no drivers available. I gave away the HP to a student and bought a MacBook Pro last January. Now I know why God smiles. They obviously use Macs in heaven. As far as the programming goes, I have retired but just for fun I run VS 2005 on XP in a Parallels VM. All of that on a 2GB MacBook. Sometimes I reboot my Mac just because it seems like I should. Old habits are really hard to break.

[jinx101a]

God would probably be upset about all of the materialism and status symbols. I digress though. On a side note, I'm also a Microsoft programmer for almost 18 years now (I don't work for MS, I use their tools). You should check out the Mono framework if you haven't. I've used it on a MacBook to run my Windows code in OSX, it's a pretty cool project that Novell maintains. The only problem with it is that the default editor doesn't hold a flame to Visual Studio... but it's a good way to run your old .Net code natively on a Mac.

[AJ Pants]

It's so sad how Windows users have to pop in and give their predicable 2 cents. The bottom line is Windows is a beleaguered beast, founded in a truly ancient and outdated code. It's ridiculously vulnerable, humorously pedestrian and generally a pain in the ass to use. And people wonder why so many are switching. <br /><br />Just waiting for some one button mouse jokes now.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Macs support multiple button mice just fine. No issue there. <br /> <br />Your comments, meant to incite mischief and dissention, have failed.

[jinx101a]

It's just so predicable how Mac users do the same thing in threads of MS articles. In fact, congratulations, you're a cliche along with the rest of us. :) You clearly don't know anything about Windows if you think the code is outdated. "Humorously pedestrian"... someone's letting their snobbish elitist mentality shine through. <br /> <br />But, as per users switching... the newest numbers are out and Apple's numbers are flat whereas PC's with Windows were up 7%. Guess the economies state doesn't sit well with people who need their cash for other things than status symbols like a Mac.

[AppleSuxLeo]

An unusual spike in comments posted to Apple's support forums since yesterday afternoon points to the possibility of certain problems in particular with the company's latest rollup to the Mac operating system.

[AppleSuxLeo]

The mouse is the number one way people interact with their computer , and Apple got it wrong.

[jfoulk1981]

This is the problem when you let children post responses to stories. If you don't own a mac, don't read this article. It does not apply to you. Or, if you choose to read it, keep your opinion to yourself. I don't care about an operating system that puts up dialog boxes for every single little event that occurs, asking me for permission to do something I already told it to do. The point of an OS is to allow me to interact with my hardware in an intuitive way. That is it. No other point. OS X is far more intuitive and user friendly. MIcrosoft should stick to what it is good at, making office software and other programs for corporate America. Nothing wrong with that, just not suitable for the average person at home. OS X, the iPod with iTunes, and the invention of GUI on a home computer is Apple's legacy to the world. No other computer software firm, certainly not Microsoft, can ever compare to that kind of achievement.

[AppleSuxLeo]

A Monday update to Apple's Leopard operating system is causing a host of problems for users, ranging from broken Bluetooth connections and no sound to large popping noises during boot-up and dead USB ports.<br />Say it aint so , Steve !

[punkska8]

Geez. I came here looking for help with my 10.5.6 combo update, but instead I found a page full of people fighting over which OS is better. Who cares, use what you like and what fits for you. I used PC for years and years and just recently switched to my Mac Mini at the end of 2008. I like them both. I prefer my apple now that I'm used to it, but I still know my way around a PC and have no problems with them.<br /><br />Anyway, I guess I'll go somewhere else to get some actual help rather than watch people comment fight on cnet.com