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Apple's Newest Operating System Offers New Features, Interface... But Wait
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Apple's Newest Operating System Offers New Features, Interface... But Wait
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 Mac fans, rejoice. Apple's newest operating system, OS X, was made available for purchase on March 24. OS X brings a number of major upgrades to the Mac front, including a revamped core and a new interface. Better Performance
The largest change in OS X is its kernel, which is the heart of any operating system. Dubbed Darwin, OS X's kernel was built from the ground up, instead of adding to the foundation of OS 9. This allows Apple to escape some of the limitations of its previous operating systems, and promises better stability, scalability, and performance. OS X is also Apple's first operating system to support multiple processors.
Some Drawbacks
But because it is new, Darwin is not without its share of problems. Currently, OS X will not support DVD drives. Further, to take advantage of the new OS, software must be updated specifically for OS X. Currently, there are few such applications, though major software vendors, Adobe and Microsoft included, have promised support for OS X. Microsoft, for instance, has stated that it will release a new version of Office for OS X come late fall. Current applications cannot run natively within OS X. Instead, they must run within "classic mode," which is a way of emulating OS 9 on top of OS X. This allows compatibility with most existing programs, usually at the cost of a small hit to performance. Updated Interface
Another major change in OS X is the updated user graphics interface called Aqua. Aqua brings a more translucent, animated look to the desktop; traffic light-inspired buttons for closing and minimizing windows; and a Dock, which houses common applications, documents, and other user-defined items. Other notable changes in OS X include an updated Finder and imbedded support for PDF documents. To learn more about OS X features, see http://www.apple.com/macosx/. Potential Campus Support Under Evaluation
As with any new operating system release, Information and Educational Technology will evaluate OS X for approximately six months before deciding on the level of support. |
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