Have the Mac folks given up? From Apple’s web site regarding their next operating system, “Snow Leopard”":

Taking a break from adding new features, Snow Leopard — scheduled to ship in about a year — builds on Leopard’s enormous innovations by delivering a new generation of core software technologies that will streamline Mac OS X, enhance its performance, and set new standards for quality. Snow Leopard dramatically reduces the footprint of Mac OS X, making it even more efficient for users, and giving them back valuable hard drive space for their music and photos.

A break from adding new features?  That doesn’t sound very exciting. Reduces the footprint and gives back valuable hard drive space?  Hmm. Sounds a lot like Windows 7.

They go on to list the big “benefits” of their new OS:

• Microsoft Exchange Support – well, whoop de do. I’ve had that with Windows for, umm, forever.
• Support for multicore systems – Duh. Been running Windows on multiple cores for years.
• 64 bit – did Macs not support it before?
• “Optimized support for modern codecs and more efficient media playback” – hey, I’ve got Windows Media Center.

I have to admit I love Apple’s naming scheme. “Snow Leopard” is the coolest sounding big cat yet. But there’s more to a computer operating system – at least for those of us who work with them all day, every day – than neat names and a good advertising agency. 

Now if only Microsoft would hire Jeri Ryan to represent (Windows) Seven. She would blow that goofy Mac guy away with those Borg implants. :)

Running, ducking and putting on my kevlar vest and flame retardant suit in anticipation of the responses to this one.

deb@shinder.net    www.debshinder.com