If you read my Blog you might have noticed that I installed a pre-release of OSX Panther earlier this month. Well, it had some problems with it that I didn’t anticipate. For instance, my browser (Safari off course) didn’t accept any input from my keyboard anymore (which is a bit of a problem when typing an url) and it also ignored my scrollwheel on my mouse. Also it seemed that my bluetooth was completely gone. Other than it seemed to run smooth and I have to say that it also fixed some annoying problems (more on that later).
Off couse since Panther comes with Safari 1.1 it could not just reinstall Safari or bluetooth (its part of the OS). Luckily the final release (or “Goldmaster”) came out a few days later and was spread very soon thru the new fast filesharing protocol called “BitTorrent”. And low and behold: after I installed that version I had no problems with Safari anymore; is working smooth as ever. My bluetooth however is buggy as hell. I’m aleady addicted to Expose.
A lot has changed and its not only the obvious stuff like the look and feel of windows. For instance; if you close System Preferences it really closes (it stayed open in previous versions). The control panels (in system preferences) have changed to. Also Panther has a better way to switch applications (apple-tab) and together with the new versions of DVD player, Safari and others its really an improvement! Not to mention things like File Vault (encryption of your user files), Font Book (view your installed fonts),
Most impressive however, is the fact that somehow it seems they tweaked the OS so it even runs smoother on the same hardware! Thats right: with “that other OS” you need new hardware whenever they change to another version. With Panther it seems that my PowerBook G4 667 mHz runs better and not slower!
And they finally fixed one big annoying thing! With previous versions of OSX my PC would lock-up if I forgot to disconnect from a network server and just put my PowerBook in its bag. Now you just get a error and my G4 doesn’t lock up anymore! Hurray!!