Panther unleashed: Apple’s refreshed OS

Apple Computer is now shipping the latest update to its UNIX-based operating system OS X 10.3, codenamed Panther. Boasting of increased ease of use, greater speed and 150 new features, Panther is being made available to users for the price of $129.

Industrial Strength, Consumer-Friendly

Many of the features included in Panther such as increased security and file encryption, intercon-nectivity with Microsoft Windows systems and multiple user switching, are the results of strong server features gained from Apple’s focus on enterprise solutions. Apple has a server version of Panther that complements its Xserve line of rack mount servers.

For end-users, this means that the latest update will be faster, more secure and able to connect to numerous networks and platforms than ever before. The long-awaited update to Mac OS X also exhibits a number of built-in applications geared toward making the most out of today’s wired and wireless connectivity.

IChat AV, Apple’s video and instant messaging chat client, comes built-in and corresponds directly with the iSight high-definition webcam and microphone which Apple released three months ago. Updated versions of the Safari Internet browser, the Mail application, address book and iCal calendar programs are also bundled with the Panther. These applications work seamlessly together with Apple desktops and notebooks to give users all the necessary tools for working and collaborating with or without wires.

Exposé In Action

One of the more exciting features of Panther is Exposé, which gives users instant access to any open window on with a single keystroke. Especially helpful for cluttered desktops, Exposé saves users valuable time by instantly cleaning up and arranging all open windows.

Users can also move their mice from one tiled window to the next, and will see its title displayed right in the center of the window. When you find the window you need, just click on it. Magically, every window will return to full size, and the window you clicked – whether it’s a folder, a PDF, a QuickTime movie or a Word document – becomes the active window and at the very top of the stack.

For users of programs like Adobe’s Photoshop that usually has multiple windows and files open, a single keystroke can tile the document titles and allows for easy retrieval of files. Finally, one keystroke can clear all the clutter from a user’s desktop, instantly removing all open windows and restoring order into chaotic desktops.

Media And Graphic Benefits

Macs have long known to be the preferred platform for serious graphic design, animation and layouts so it is no surprise that Panther has strong 2D, 3D and time-based media standards.

Quartz Extreme, for example, enhances the speed and responsiveness of Mac OS X, and OpenGL is the standard for visualizing 3D shapes and textures that enable high-end 3D rendering on the newer Macintosh products.

Apple’s QuickTime, a long-time player in multimedia, audio and video, is also well integrated into Panther and allows for creating, playing and broadcasting capabilities from within the operating system. Also integrated into Panther is Preview, touted by Apple to be the world’s fastest PDF file viewer geared toward creative professionals and designers who need to quickly open and view EPS and PostScript files. One welcome addition for graphic pros is Font Book, a new feature that supposedly allows the previewing and installation of fonts with a single click.

Refinement Is The Key

Many Mac users will no doubt upgrade as soon as possible while others will likely wait to read reviews and get feedback on how the new OS plays with existing programs and applications. The biggest drawback of upgrading an operating system is the loss of preferences in your favorite programs and the possibility that the new system, while fast and efficient in itself, may not play nicely with existing applications that worked well with older versions. Panther is expected to increase performance dramatically, especially for older Macs that can run it and have enough RAM (as with other UNIX systems, optimum RAM is crucial for performance gains).