@klrobinson999:Or, judging from the Mac Pros that came out a few months ago, you could also deduce that the Mac is obviously getting eight core processors. Oh wait, that's something that we already knew...because it already happened.
I really was shocked when they released Leopard the way they did.
The problem with seeding confidentiality is that it is TRUE confidentiality whereby you cannot tell another developer (meaning a person that develops apps/enhancements) for OSX that their program causes a dead mac upon install.
I am not allowed to talk about my current experience with Snow Leopard but I can talk about things that happened last time around when Leopard was released for sale. Many people had programs that allowed you to go in and changed many things about the appearance and function of OSX, example: doing freaky things with your dock. I'm not talking about just icons. Those types of programs lead to a very messy upgrade. Think of it as jailbreaking your OSX. So based on past experience I would uninstall any of those programs.
Besides that, Here is the best route to take for Snow Leopard:
1. Back up your computer using Superduper. Well actually, superduper makes a fully bootable clone of your hard drive. Make sure you don't do the sandbox option! Then plug in your hard drive boot from you backup by holding down the option key while your computer is starting up, ensure that everything is fully functional.
2. Preferably on another hard drive, just back up your home folder.
3. If you have the space, partition your second hard drive so that one partition just has your home folder and the other has to another full back of your entire system with either superduper or Time Machine.
4. (optional but great) Invest in Disk Warrior which is absolutely amazing and use it for any mac that is more then 1.5 years old. or 1 year old if you are a power user. When you buy it it'll do a bunch of diagnostics to your computer, then it can repair anything. Make sure you also do this to your main backup as well. It doubt it will work on a time machine backup. Its what disk utility should be. **If you don't feel like using/buy Disk Warrior, find your install disk and hold down the option key to repair your startup disk with disk utility.
5. Do a clean vanilla install of Snow Leopard and then use migration assistant to bring over your files. I would suggest just dragging over your home folder, but Snow Leopard is supposed to rip out all the PowerPC code so you have to bring your Apple Apps through migration assistant. If you've used disk warrior absolutely nothing should go wrong and things should go much faster then they would otherwise.
When Snow Leopard is finally released I'll write a new post based on my experience. This post is based on general experience of ensuring a perfect Mac when upgrading to a new OS. If anyone has questions you can shoot me a message on my profile.
@nikaru: Agreed; the new comment system stymies conversation from casual commenters. Only the regular blowhards like OMG Ponies, Kaiser Machead, and the other usual suspects are heard.
It's gawker's thing and they can do with it as they please, but I've definitely stopped coming to gizmodo and the other sites as much due to my inability to express myself and be heard effectively.
@nikaru: Honestly? I think some people shouldn't even have stars. I was really surprised when I got mine.
Gawker has a pretty good community, but sometimes I'm glad I don't have to see the riff-raff if I don't want to. It's nice to know that some of the more off-the-wall comments don't show up here. You should see some of the stuff unapproved posters put up!
@deliciousburglar: The stars are associated with the commenter, not the specific comment...I suppose it's mainly designed to cut down on redundancy and the occasional trolls. For what it's worth, if someone who has a star replies to someone who doesn't have one, the original comment is automatically "promoted" to the main screen, giving it full visibility.
And from what I can tell, it's also not a static system, so folks can earn/lose their star depending on how they're behaving over a period of time.
@ethanlechcharles: I've also got mine setup so all the comments show by default. I do feel that I'm less inclined to comment now that it seems less likely that my comment will be viewed. Though maybe that's good... I tend not to say something unless I really feel it's absolutely pertinent to the topic. Which isn't always true, seeing how this comment itself has nothing to do with Snow Leopard. *sigh*
@shiftyeyedgoat:Actually, these blowhards are the ones taking shifts, promoting as many comments as they can. If you make a decent comment, you will be heard; do this often enough and you will get starred.
@Andre Ondre: Seriously now? Feel free to spew your garbage elsewhere.
Oh, and why do all trolls like to use either too much or too little punctuation? And why do people insist on putting a space before exclamation points. Are you just one super troll with several U/Ns or are you just copy-catting?
The boxset is very pricey compared to Windows 7 home premium, The upgrade is as cheap as chips compared to Windows 7
Then again apples pricing isn't really that cheap if you add the cost of buying their expensive computers or laptops, normally double the price of their competition!!!!!!
@Andre Ondre: well if you think about it, the box set includes iWork, iLife, and Snow Leopard which is $80 + $80 + $30 = $190 so you get about 10% off. Windows 7 and Office comes out to be around $270 ($120 + $150). Food for thought
@Andre Ondre: $29 for the update is cheaper than Windows 7 upgrade. $129 for the full, non-upgraded OS is cheaper than Windows 7 Home Premium ($200 if not upgrading), and still cheaper as a Box set, which includes the latest iLife updates.
So, it's pretty not pricey, actually.
And, grammar Nazi moment: Cut back on the exclamation points, please.
How to use exclamation points: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/11/03/
@Sir Gibler: Yes, but one still has to but MS home office after that because iwork screws up docs you try to send in for work. Food for thought. (Macs are still worth the extra cash though)
I'm not sure whether i should buy a leopard upgrade and then the snow leopard upgrade or just buy the snow leopard box set, since the former would be cheaper.
@NcSchu: If you don't have iLife '09 (and, since you don't have OS 10.5, you probably don't have iLife '09) and want the iLife upgrade, get the box set. Otherwise, you're wasting money.
@The Nacon: Limited code work? They've massively revamped all the underlying code, cut six gigs off the install, and created new dev tools to help distribute tasks between multiple cores and GPU's.
Nothing new on the user-end, but underneath there have been a lot changes. Apple is pricing it so low because they don't want any intel-based mac owners running 10.5.
@superberg: APIs and software libraries are something that are usually free in Windows. .NET for example, never cost a penny... and there's only one API in recent memory that you needed a Windows upgrade to get: DirectX 10. And Microsoft took a lot of flack for not backporting it to XP.
I'd rather have a device or OS that worked properly, before worrying about how "open", "closed", "proprietary" or "smug" might affect my ability to use it.
@The Nacon: Are you saying that 10.6 involves limited code changes or that OS X is limited in its functionality? Or both? I don't agree with either, but it would be interesting to read your rationale...
@jepzilla: It's not that they just added new API's. Do you even know what you're talking about? Have you read anything about Snow Leopard? It was a major OS refinement/rewrite. They didn't add any major user-noticeable features, but they want everyone to upgrade because of all the new developer support, hence the low upgrade cost.
I pre-ordered because I qualified for the trade-in. Still don't wanna stand in line so early, but I'm betting (possibly foolishly) that since I live in NYC that there were will be a reasonable dispersion of all the lines at the AT&T stores.
No I didn't pre order one. I took 5 generations of iPods before I knuckled under and bought one. I expect it will take at least that long, if not longer before I crack out the coin for an iphone
I preordered. I still have my first generation iPhone, and it is SLLLLLOOOOOOW at the best of times. I also ran out of room on it ages ago. 32GB, here I come!
08/01/09
08/02/09
08/02/09
08/01/09
The problem with seeding confidentiality is that it is TRUE confidentiality whereby you cannot tell another developer (meaning a person that develops apps/enhancements) for OSX that their program causes a dead mac upon install.
I am not allowed to talk about my current experience with Snow Leopard but I can talk about things that happened last time around when Leopard was released for sale. Many people had programs that allowed you to go in and changed many things about the appearance and function of OSX, example: doing freaky things with your dock. I'm not talking about just icons. Those types of programs lead to a very messy upgrade. Think of it as jailbreaking your OSX. So based on past experience I would uninstall any of those programs.
Besides that,
Here is the best route to take for Snow Leopard:
1. Back up your computer using Superduper. Well actually, superduper makes a fully bootable clone of your hard drive. Make sure you don't do the sandbox option! Then plug in your hard drive boot from you backup by holding down the option key while your computer is starting up, ensure that everything is fully functional.
2. Preferably on another hard drive, just back up your home folder.
3. If you have the space, partition your second hard drive so that one partition just has your home folder and the other has to another full back of your entire system with either superduper or Time Machine.
4. (optional but great) Invest in Disk Warrior which is absolutely amazing and use it for any mac that is more then 1.5 years old. or 1 year old if you are a power user. When you buy it it'll do a bunch of diagnostics to your computer, then it can repair anything. Make sure you also do this to your main backup as well. It doubt it will work on a time machine backup. Its what disk utility should be. **If you don't feel like using/buy Disk Warrior, find your install disk and hold down the option key to repair your startup disk with disk utility.
5. Do a clean vanilla install of Snow Leopard and then use migration assistant to bring over your files. I would suggest just dragging over your home folder, but Snow Leopard is supposed to rip out all the PowerPC code so you have to bring your Apple Apps through migration assistant. If you've used disk warrior absolutely nothing should go wrong and things should go much faster then they would otherwise.
When Snow Leopard is finally released I'll write a new post based on my experience. This post is based on general experience of ensuring a perfect Mac when upgrading to a new OS. If anyone has questions you can shoot me a message on my profile.
08/01/09
+ 10.6
08/01/09
08/01/09
08/02/09
@anexanhume aka Flintheart Glomgold:
My pleasure boys! I wish I could guest blog for when SL is released based on my experience.
I am always here to answer q's! Just message me!
08/01/09
08/01/09
It's gawker's thing and they can do with it as they please, but I've definitely stopped coming to gizmodo and the other sites as much due to my inability to express myself and be heard effectively.
08/01/09
Gawker has a pretty good community, but sometimes I'm glad I don't have to see the riff-raff if I don't want to. It's nice to know that some of the more off-the-wall comments don't show up here. You should see some of the stuff unapproved posters put up!
08/01/09
its like its just designed to stroke nerd egos.
08/01/09
08/01/09
Blow hards? Wouldn't know. They've rebuffed my every advance.
08/01/09
And from what I can tell, it's also not a static system, so folks can earn/lose their star depending on how they're behaving over a period of time.
08/01/09
I clicked the option to show all comments ONCE and now every post I go to has all comments. It's really not that difficult.
08/01/09
08/02/09
08/01/09
08/02/09
Oh, and why do all trolls like to use either too much or too little punctuation? And why do people insist on putting a space before exclamation points. Are you just one super troll with several U/Ns or are you just copy-catting?
08/01/09
Then again apples pricing isn't really that cheap if you add the cost of buying their expensive computers or laptops, normally double the price of their competition!!!!!!
08/01/09
08/01/09
So, it's pretty not pricey, actually.
And, grammar Nazi moment: Cut back on the exclamation points, please.
How to use exclamation points: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/11/03/
08/01/09
08/01/09
08/01/09
08/01/09
08/01/09
08/01/09
Yeah, for limited code work. No wonder why Microsoft aren't cheap because of its "openness" in codes, yet still trying to combat hackers.
Not saying Apple's OSX is bad... but limited.
It's like seeing difference between a dog and another dog with fences and some electronic collar.
Ahh the irony in pricing in example of owning fence and electronic collar yet other way around.
08/01/09
Nothing new on the user-end, but underneath there have been a lot changes. Apple is pricing it so low because they don't want any intel-based mac owners running 10.5.
08/01/09
08/01/09
I'd rather have a device or OS that worked properly, before worrying about how "open", "closed", "proprietary" or "smug" might affect my ability to use it.
08/01/09
08/01/09
Yeah, $30 for a service pack is awesome.
08/02/09
08/02/09
06/26/09
Upgrade only though, urgh.
Curious if my mischievous copy of XP will work wit it...
Not worried about my Vista and other XP machine though.
06/25/09
Is Pro really worth the 50 bucks over Home?
06/26/09
06/25/09
06/25/09
06/16/09
We shall see!
06/16/09
06/16/09
Now iPhone OS 3.0, that's a good upgrade, and it's free!
06/16/09
Installed the 3.0 OS as Giz demonstrated last week. Works great.
06/16/09
06/16/09