Mac OS X Snow Leopard Discussion

[giga Veteran]

http://www.apple.com/macosx/snowleopard/

http://www.apple.com/server/macosx/snowleopard/

So far it's all been under wraps with a NDA, but what we know so far:

- 64-bit: Support up to 16 TB of RAM

- Quicktime X: new media platform for optimized media playback

- Open CL: allows for developers to utilize the GPU for general processing tasks in their apps

- Grand Central: improved multi-core optimization and efficiency for developers

- Efficiency: dramatically smaller footprint

- SquirrelFish: much improved JavaScript performance

- ZFS: read/write support, storage pooling, data redundancy, automatic error correction, dynamic volume expansion, and snapshots.

- Exchange support: MS Exchange 2007 built into Mail, Address Book, and iCal. (Exchange Web Services)

[Cara Veteran]

I'm hoping to have some information soon about this, but needless to say what I've read so far looks great!

Speed exceeding 20% - 50% faster than Leopard...wow.

[-Hiroshi-]

I'm guessing this is 10.6 right? You know, this is going to confuse the HELL out of people, can you imagine? Leopard/Snow Leopard..

It's like calling Vista, Clear Vista.. o_O

Don't get me wrong, I got a HUGE case of OS X envy... I want to use that OS so bad. >_< I'm stuck on Windows and Linux, and granted Linux is the lesser of the two evils, I'd still LOVE to use OS X and I even looked into trying for a hackintosh and failed horribly at it. -.-

[pdmcmahon]

I'm hoping to have some information soon about this, but needless to say what I've read so far looks great!

Speed exceeding 20% - 50% faster than Leopard...wow.

Cara, dear, why am I not surprised you were poster # 2.

I was a bit disappointed that your boss' new project wasn't debuted during the WWDC keynote. I look forward to details down the road.

Keep it up, I love your work...

[Guest]

- Open CL: allows for any developers to utilize the GPU for processing in their apps

Lets hope they start using half decent graphics cards then! :woot:

You can't start speculating on performance gains yet though... pretty stupid really... :blink:

[Cara Veteran]

I'm guessing this is 10.6 right? You know, this is going to confuse the HELL out of people, can you imagine? Leopard/Snow Leopard..

It's like calling Vista, Clear Vista.. o_O

Preaching to the flock brother. :p

Cara, dear, why am I not surprised you were poster # 2.

I was a bit disappointed that your boss' new project wasn't debuted during the WWDC keynote. I look forward to details down the road.

Keep it up, I love your work...

I'm rather surprised they even mentioned it, there has to be some political decision behind the scenes I don't know about. :p

Lets hope they start using half decent graphics cards then! :woot:

You can't start speculating on performance gains yet though... pretty stupid really... :blink:

I rather like the 8800 series. ;)

As for the performance gains, those are just ones that were published or mentioned so I can only imagine they will go up from there.

[-Hiroshi-]

LoL Hey Cara, you wouldn't happen to have the incredible ability to convince your boss to open OS X up for ALL computers, would you? Think of the whammy it'd cause Microsoft. lol :/ /end futile attempt

[Cara Veteran]

LoL Hey Cara, you wouldn't happen to have the incredible ability to convince your boss to open OS X up for ALL computers, would you? Think of the whammy it'd cause Microsoft. lol :/ /end futile attempt

Given I'm opposed to that concept? ;) Hehe, might not be easy. ;)

[haefft]

its snow leopard because no new features; just a new number.

[giga Veteran]

its snow leopard because no new features; just a new number.

I call those features. ;) Maybe not so much consumer oriented, but they're definitely features.

[-Hiroshi-]

Given I'm opposed to that concept? ;) Hehe, might not be easy. ;)

LoL :p Figured you were, I browsed your blog and found the big honking Anti-Hackintosh post and I thought of my question and was like.."Aw crap..guess not then. lol"

Oh well, I guess my Linux install will get more usage until I suddenly become $700+ richer. X_@

[zerologic]

'A Quantum Leap.'

then..

'..core software technologies that will streamline Mac OS X, enhance its performance, and set new standards for quality.'

'..dramatically reduces the footprint of Mac OS X, making it even more efficient..'

As a new Mac user, I got to say that these things are overdue. But also. Snow Leopard is sounding more like a Service Pack than a new version.

[osirisX]

I wonder what the price will be. Hoping for a discount for people who purchased Leopard, but I doubt that will happen. I want to see Aqua fully refined. None of this half ass mix between old and new. There are some nice designs found in MobileMe's web apps. Borrow from that since Round Textured looks bleh outside of toolbars and Textured windows. I also want a fully working resolution independent UI.

On a less serious note :p I like how the stars have seemingly turned into snow flakes. Wouldn't mind Aurora being replaced by this.

[zerologic]

I call those features. ;) Maybe not so much consumer oriented, but they're definitely features.

Ehh, I'm not so sure. Still sounds to me like a big Service Pack.

[giga Veteran]

Ehh, I'm not so sure. Still sounds to me like a big Service Pack.

I usually consider service packs mainly fixes and patches. Snow Leopard looks to have some larger under the hood changes for it to be considered a 10.5.x release. This is just a preview anyhow--expect more. ;)

[-Hiroshi-]

I wonder what the price will be. Hoping for a discount for people who purchased Leopard, but I doubt that will happen. I want to see Aqua fully refined. None of this half ass mix between old and new. There are some nice designs found in MobileMe's web apps. Borrow from that since Round Textured looks bleh outside of toolbars and Textured windows. I also want a fully working resolution independent UI.

On a less serious note :p I like how the stars have seemingly turned into snow flakes. Wouldn't mind Aurora being replaced by this.

Honestly, what would make me want OS X even more, is the fact that they can move past that OS X name and work on OS XI, a refined interface, open up the development tools for free for all users, because last time I heard, you need to pay money to Apple in order to write programs for OS X, I might be wrong though. Something I'd LOVE to see, is the ability to run Windows programs from WITHIN OS X, WITHOUT the need for a windows VM or dual-boot, Wine does it, it isn't exactly illegal.

Yeah, pardon the nonsense though, I'm half asleep. >_<

[zerologic]

I usually consider service packs mainly fixes and patches. Snow Leopard looks to have some larger under the hood changes for it to be considered a 10.5.x release. This is just a preview anyhow--expect more. ;)

Looking forward to more news. So far I like the new changes, but I hope there is more than this.

[osirisX]

Honestly, what would make me want OS X even more, is the fact that they can move past that OS X name and work on OS XI, a refined interface, open up the development tools for free for all users, because last time I heard, you need to pay money to Apple in order to write programs for OS X, I might be wrong though. Something I'd LOVE to see, is the ability to run Windows programs from WITHIN OS X, WITHOUT the need for a windows VM or boot, Wine does it, it isn't exactly illegal.

The Developer Tools are free and are found on every OS X Install Disc. You only need to pay Apple to sell iPhone applications in the App Store. Keep Windows out of OS X. I don't want the Registry mucking up the place. Also, I think I'll pass on the Windows malware running inside OS X.

[Windam]

I will say and I firmly believe this.

Windows 7 and Snow Leopard share similar paths to enhancing the end users experience more efficiently.

Not that much feature wise but in performance.

[giga Veteran]

Does anyone else find it odd that they haven't referenced to it as 10.6 yet? Or am I looking too far into this..

[Quillz]

Does anyone else find it odd that they haven't referenced to it as 10.6 yet? Or am I looking too far into this..

Most marketing literature calls 10.5 "Leopard." Apple often refers to their OS as "Mac OS X Leopard" as opposed to "10.5." Same thing here. Though it's 10.6, Apple prefers to refer to it as "Mac OS X Snow Leopard."

[CPressland]

Well, I think it's a great idea, it's not like we need or want anything massively different anyway, we just want more power.

As for QuickTime X that'll be interesting. How will it effect my pron?

Any news on possible release notes, I missed the rest of the keynote after the iPhone bit because I was drunk

[Quillz]

Well, I think it's a great idea, it's not like we need or want anything massively different anyway, we just want more power.

As for QuickTime X that'll be interesting. How will it effect my pron?

Any news on possible release notes, I missed the rest of the keynote after the iPhone bit because I was drunk

Snow Leopard wasn't actually discussed during the keynote, it was at a later session that was covered by a NDA. But according to an Apple report, it's supposed to be released in about a year, so look for it around June 2009?

Also, at first I felt this release would be a bit lame, but then I realized that Snow Leopard simply won't have marketable features. It in fact does have many new features, most of which are going to be underlying and help make the OS faster and leaner. And those are always the best new features.

[richardsim7]

Most marketing literature calls 10.5 "Leopard." Apple often refers to their OS as "Mac OS X Leopard" as opposed to "10.5." Same thing here. Though it's 10.6, Apple prefers to refer to it as "Mac OS X Snow Leopard."

Unless of course it's neither a 10.5.x or 10.x release :blink:

-Rich-

[PL_ Veteran]

Guess this means no PowerPC dropping if it's faster than before :p