the more things change

The more things change, the more they stay the same, or so they say, and sometimes that's a good thing.

The last thing you want to encounter when doing a software upgrade is having to learn to use it all over again.

Happily, that's not the case with Mac OS X 10.5, a.k.a. Leopard. While the look is a little different, and there's some new features to be explored, chances are just about everything you already knew how to do with OS X still works as expected. It fits like a new glove carefully modeled on an old one that had already shaped itself to your hand.

taking your OS X game to the next level

The version of Mac OS X 10.5 that will come preinstalled on all new consumer Macs starting this coming Friday is, strictly speaking, the 'client' version of the OS. There's also a server version, which will also be released on the 26th.

The foundation of the two is the same. What differentiates the server version is that it comes with a suite of administration tools and server programs.

Like the client version, it's designed to be easy to use, easy enough that it's a reasonable choice for groups and company's too small to have an IT department, even easy enough for home use for those who need the sophistication of a server.

That's not to say that it's been dumbed down, Mac OS X is Unix, after all, and you have only to open the Terminal program to be reminded of that fact. Any standard tools that may not have been encapsulated in graphical interfaces will still be there, just a command-line entry away, and any other POSIX compliant software available as source code should compile without modification.

Personally, I'll be getting the client version, since I only have one computer, at present, and no real need for the server programs. I wish I could justify the server version, because I'd love to play around with Wiki Server, iCal Server, and iChat Server! Taken together, these server programs and the client programs that work with them comprise some pretty fancy groupware, capable of significantly improving productivity in situations where they're a good fit.

So maybe you're not yet ready for Mac OS X Server either. Just remember that it exists and keep an eye peeled for circumstances in which it might be the right solution. You may find that such circumstances are commonplace, practically everywhere you look!

on the bright side

The wait for Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5) is almost over, only six days left to go.

For a peek at what Leopard will be like, check out the guided tour on Apple's website.

when on death row...

Want to know whether Michael Richard's lawyers were running Windows or Mac OS X? Good luck!

That issue seems not to have made the cut as compared with whether the death penalty ought to be abolished, whether lethal injection is unconstitutional, whether Judge Keller ought to have accepted a late filing, or whether Richard deserved what he got - understandably, I suppose.

Personally, I suspect a coverup. I mean, if his lawyers had been using Macs, you *know* it would have rated inclusion as part of the story.

But we're talking about Texas here. What are the chances his lawyers weren't running Windows? I'd say just a hair above zero.

The bottom line: when on death row, make sure your lawyers aren't running Windows.

Murray Bookchin's parting of the ways with anarchism

Never heard of Murray Bookchin? No surprise, but you may count yourself the poorer for it. While American society bumbled its way along, Murray's gaze always penetrated deeper, and the transformations he went through were far more thoroughly considered.

The essay linked here primarily traces one such transition, one that even his admirers frequently overlook.