The Digital Home

Say what you will, but as I've said numerous times on these pages, the MacBook is easily one of the best notebooks in the world. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it's probably one of the best I've ever used.

And while I still have numerous issues with Windows and my utter distrust for a company that can't even release an operating system that's final knows no bounds, I truly believe the average consumer should go out and find themselves a Mac.

Luckily for us, it seems like most people tend to agree. As of this writing, theresults of Amazon's bestseller list shows Apple's 13.3-inch MacBook leads the pack of any and all PCs and computer hardware.

Sure, the results may not mean much to some and saying it has sold the best may not necessarily indicate that Windows PCs are on the slide and Macs are slowly making a trek to the top, but can you remember a time in recent history when a Windows machine wasn't sitting atop a list of bestselling computers?

Regardless of how you feel about it, Macs are coming on strong and 2008 could be the year of the Mac.

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As many of you are aware, I think Windows Vista is a blunder. And with its annoying UAC system and horrifically slow operation, it won't take long before the majority of home users agree with me. If the recent figures showing Mac OS X is already gaining market share is any indication of the future, look for Leopard to outsell Vista by a staggering margin.

Simply put, Mac OS X Leopard is one of the most significant operating system achievements we have witnessed in years. Not only does it add functionality that Microsoft could only have dreamed of, it does so in a snappy environment that doesn't annoy you with pop-ups asking for permission or all of those security threats we have come to know (and hate) in Windows.

But my belief that Vista will soon bow to Leopard goes far beyond the operating system itself. In fact, the major reason Vista will succumb to Mac OS X has little to do with Apple, but quite a bit to do with Microsoft's current focus. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, one thing is abundantly clear: Microsoft fears Google and is doing everything it can to become the Google slayer instead of competing in its core business--software.

The company is on a slippery slope, and to be quite honest, I don't think it can get off too easily.

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Mail has always been one of my least favorite applications on Mac OS X. Generally speaking, it has always been underpowered and lacking in some of the functionality that I have come to expect from an Apple product.

But with the release of Leopard, Mail is finally a useful and I can now justify using it as my main mail application.

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Spaces was one of the wild cards in Leopard that I wasn't too sure about going in. But now I can say, after using it for the past twenty-four hours, that it is one of the most useful and logical additions to Leopard. In fact, I might go so far as to say that Spaces is my new favorite app on Mac OS X.

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One of the nicest additions to Leopard is the incredible improvements to Finder. And while the OS still allows you to navigate through your computer in the old style (column view was always my favorite), Cover Flow just works.

Now, before we get into just how nice Finder really is, why can't we view the menu options beneath cover flow in column view? So far, Apple only allows you to view desired paths in list mode. And while it gets a little annoying, it's not a deal breaker by any stretch of the imagination.

Sure, it may be a small addition and some people aren't all that excited, but Leopard now allows you to turn a breadcrumb navigator on in Finder, which allows you to know where you've been. Unfortunately, it's not on by default, but a quick jaunt to the View -> Show Path Bar option will get the job done.

Obviously the most important new addition to Finder is Cover Flow. At first, I was a bit skeptical of Cover Flow's usefulness, but after a good five to ten minutes of using it, I'm sold. It seems like such a simple addition to an already helpful folder navigation system, but it works far better than anything else I've ever used.

In fact, one of the best components of Cover Flow is the ability to view a selection instantly. Dubbed Quick Look, you need to only press space and the selection will come to the front of the screen and allow you to view it in full screen (if you wish). If you choose a Word document, you won't be able to edit it in this view, but it's an incredibly useful and fast way of referencing something without going through the task of opening up a program.

Other than that, Apple has decided to leave well enough alone, and I'm glad it did. Finder is simply fantastic and has somehow become far more useful than it used to be. Simply put, it's a must-see.

Overall Finder grade: 10/10

Up next: Spaces

Last night, I finally got around to hooking up my external hard drive and started using Time Machine. And while I had hoped for a bit more options, it's one of the nicest additions to Leopard.

By default, Time Machine is set to off. But as soon as you hook up an external hard drive and flip the Time Machine switch on in the new System Preferences pane, the system will start backing up your hard drive in twenty minutes after you first set it up.

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Over the course of this weekend, I will be covering just about everything you ever wanted to know about Leopard. From its installation (this post) through my final impressions, this weekend will be dedicated to all things Leopard here on the Digital Home. So without further ado, sit back, relax, and enjoy some Leopard.

As I write this, I'm currently running Apple's newest OS--Mac OS X Leopard. And while I will fill you in on some of my thoughts in the posts following this one, I can tell you, without a doubt, that Leopard (so far) is a fantastic OS.

Packaging

Doesn't Apple know how to package products? Whether it's the 24-inch aluminum iMac (the puppy I'm writing this on) or this OS, Apple's packaging never ceases to amaze me. It's simple, elegant, and great looking--everything we should expect from packaging.

It may be a small thing to some, but I'm always interested in how well packages look. If the packaging is ugly and little time was dedicated to it, it has to make you wonder: was the same nonchalance given to the product?

Installation

Installing Mac OS X Leopard is as simple as five clicks. First, you insert the disc into your machine, and a dialog box will ask you if you would like to install the new OS. From there, you need only to press Restart and let the OS do the rest. Next, the system will reboot and you will begin the process or verifying the contents on the disc. If you want to let that happen, expect to spend an additional 20 minutes waiting. If not, press skip--you should be fine.

Once the disc is verified, you need to go through a few menu pages which basically ask if you're ready to install the OS. Once complete, wait a good 45 minutes, and you're ready to go.

First impressions

Upon booting the operating system, you're immediately shocked by the desktop image more than anything else. After looking at a blue background for so long, it was nice to see an entirely new design. Next, you'll notice that the Apple at the top left of the screen is not blue anymore -- it's black.

But perhaps the most interesting change is the Dock. Instead of the old (somewhat ugly, now that you see this) design, the new Dock is fantastic. It has a reflective bottom and sports a blue light to tell you which programs are open, instead of the familiar arrow. So much attention was given to this feature that when the icons jump up and down, the reflection moves with it.

Speed has not been an issue at all. That said, I'm running a relatively new Mac with all the fixins. But based on what I've heard, performance is stable and smooth across all Mac iterations.

Another oft-ignored inclusion is Apple's decision to include a link to your Documents folder on the Dock. Once you click on this, it immediately brings you to an attractive screen that is filled with icons showing you a thumbnail of what each of the documents looks like.

Mail has been upgraded significantly, and I can finally say that it's every bit as useful and organized as any other e-mail application out there. I've already included some RSS feeds into the app and have added some reminders of what I need to get done with the help of the "To-Do" option. So far, it's superb.

Finally, my new favorite application on Mac OS X is Spaces. As someone who uses a slew of programs at any given time, just having the ability to quickly (and easily) switch between programs is a welcome addition. So far, I'm using it only in its default 2x2 setup and decided to use F5 as the indicator button allowing me to switch between windows. Simply put, it works beautifully.

So there you have it--installation and first impressions for some of Leopard's most interesting new features. Trust me, this is only the beginning. Keep checking back (or subscribe to the RSS) all weekend so you don't miss a beat of my Leopard coverage.

Next up: Time Machine.

With all of this week's hype surrounding Mac OS X Leopard, some can't wait for the upgrade. In fact, some people are claiming that the follow-up to Tiger will become the most popular and user-friendly operating system ever created. And while I have a hard time accepting that notion before the operating system is even released, I believe Leopard will change the operating system landscape for quite some time. Unfortunately, it won't change things in the way I had hoped.

In a New York Times article over the weekend, CEO Steve Jobs was quoted as saying that he was excited for the release of Leopard and is quite happy with the current timeline Apple operating systems are on. Most notably, Jobs mentioned that he likes releasing new operating systems "every 12 to 18 months" so Apple can "polish and polish and improve and improve."

But it is here that I must disagree with Jobs. Why do we need a new operating system ever year or so? If my current operating system works quite well, do I really need another new operating system just to add some new features or capabilities? I certainly don't think so.

Through the cover of improvements, Jobs is pointing out one important fact about operating system updates--it's all about the money. Apple is a public company that relies on maximizing shareholder value. Can it do that if it leaves Tiger in place and upgrades it every so often to make it even better? Not a chance. Operating system upgrades have nothing to do with improvements and everything to do with revenue.

Regardless, Leopard is on its way and unfortunately, it will be replaced by Apple just when we get comfortable using it. Operating system upgrades are usually quite problematic for most people. More often than not, some of your favorite programs won't work and peripherals will be relegated to the junk bin until a new update is released to work with the new operating system. Of course, Apple claims the transition will be relatively painless, but can we be so sure? If you ask me, you may want to update any and all products now and make sure you have a backup in place--you never know what might happen.

But alas, we are here to discuss whether a Leopard upgrade is worth it. Of course, the mileage on my opinion may vary and some may definitely find use in some of the new features, while others will scoff and hold on to Tiger. Besides that, I obviously can't discuss the 300 new features in Leopard, but wanted to share some of my thoughts on the most important new upgrades. And in the end, offer my thoughts on whether you should upgrade. As for me? I've already ordered Leopard and will install it on just one of my Macs. The others will run Tiger until they die.

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