Leopard: where is it today?

messiah · May 26, 2007 2:29AM

Anybody care to share some educated guesses as to where Leopard is likely to be in the development process at the moment?

Is the majority of the work done? Is it at the stage now where they are just searching for bugs? Is there a room full of guys using (pretty much) the final release?

I've often wondered how these things are developed?

mrshow · May 26, 2007 8:53PM

I'd love to know the same thing. The lack of info is amazing.

the cool gut · May 26, 2007 9:32PM

I remember Apple talking about the development of the iPhone UI, and it seems they have development set up now so that hardly any of the programmers know what the actual UI looks like, all they do is work on the code.

It seems they have found a similar way of developing Leopard.

messiah · May 27, 2007 1:02AM

Yeah, I wondered if they worked on an ugly but functional version of the software first, and then prettied it up at the end once the knew the foundation was working.

As for the developers not knowing what the actual interface looks like, there can only be one reason for that... a super sexy new GUI?

marvin · May 27, 2007 5:29AM

Naturally they don't want to let the cat out of the bag (so to speak) before WWDC. It's only about 2 weeks now and then all will be revealed.

messiah · May 27, 2007 6:08AM

It's been widely acknowedged that the iPhone runs OS X ? what if it's already running Leopard and we've already seen the new interface?

I guess they could have developed the stripped down version of Leopard before concentrating on the fully fledged desktop version, right?

aryayush · May 27, 2007 8:09AM

Of course iPhone is running Leopard. Jobs mentioned in his Macworld keynote that the iPhone interface is powered by Core Animation, a feature exclusive to Leopard.

messiah · May 27, 2007 8:15AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aryayush

Of course iPhone is running Leopard. Jobs mentioned in his Macworld keynote that the iPhone interface is powered by Core Animation, a feature exclusive to Leopard.

Cool. So do you think we have already seen the basis of the new GUI? I hope so, the iPhone's GUI looks beautiful (and very usable).

ireland · May 27, 2007 8:54AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Messiah

Cool. So do you think we have already seen the basis of the new GUI? I hope so, the iPhone's GUI looks beautiful (and very usable).

Yes, there's has been a few Leopard GUI hints, like pop-up lists for example:

Before:

After:

ireland · May 27, 2007 9:30AM

A simple addition I'd like to the current Finder, is when I'm in icon view and I remove an app, I'd like all the other apps to move to fill the gap just made in the grid, probably through Core Animation.

feynman · May 27, 2007 12:52PM

I'm sure they are working around the clock to get the WWDC build in gear.

If true to what Jobs has said, they will be previewing/passing out copies of a full featured beta.

That means up till now everything has been alpha.

The difference between alpha and beta is typically with beta builds, the feature set is locked and completed and they are just hammering out the bugs.

I think when Jobs said Leopard will not be out till October, I have a feeling he meant at the very latest, giving Apple a cushion. It really should not take Apple that long. I think it will start shipping in mid to late September.

Just my 2¢

daffy_duck · May 29, 2007 2:17PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireland

Yes, there's has been a few Leopard GUI hints, like pop-up lists for example:

Before:

After:

Before > after. Just my opinion.

ireland · May 29, 2007 5:41PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daffy_Duck

Before > after. Just my opinion.

I hate Aqua.

afofddy · May 30, 2007 1:01AM

I?m intending buying a new Mac Pro (but waiting until the next set of updates from Apple), but I really doubt that I?ll buy much Adobe software to run on it given the prices they are charging

--------------------------------

Software

http://www.artdownload.net

daffy_duck · May 30, 2007 9:36AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireland

I hate Aqua.

Then I am sure you will have plenty to be happy with when Leopard is released, and I will be sad. Maybe I'll get used to the 'blah' monochrome interface eventually.

ireland · May 30, 2007 5:12PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daffy_Duck

Then I am sure you will have plenty to be happy with when Leopard is released, and I will be sad. Maybe I'll get used to the 'blah' monochrome interface eventually.

You say potato, I say potato. You say monochrome, I say slick and professional

kickaha · May 30, 2007 5:19PM

I say "Gee, didn't NeXT have this?"

pb · May 31, 2007 5:22AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kickaha

I say "Gee, didn't NeXT have this?"

Touché!

zachpruckowski · June 1, 2007 10:27AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feynman

I think when Jobs said Leopard will not be out till October, I have a feeling he meant at the very latest, giving Apple a cushion. It really should not take Apple that long. I think it will start shipping in mid to late September.

Just my 2¢

My understanding is that it's a three step process:

1) WWDC feature demostration

2) Announce a release date

3) Release

Thus, I foresee:

1) WWDC (June 11th) full demonstration + dev build

2) more dev builds in July and August, with a fast set of them coming late August to early September

3) Release goes gold first/second week of September. SJ gets up on some stage mid-September and says "Hey Y'all, I got some pretty new iMacs/Minis/Macbooks*!! Oh, and Leopard will be here on Oct 2x! Now watch me play with Core Animation for 20 minutes!".

4) Oct 2x ? Leopard release

5) Nov 15th ? 10.5.1

* = pick 1-2 of those 3.

hmurchison · June 1, 2007 11:06AM

Count me in with the OS X ships in September crew. I think apple gave itself some wiggle room and will actually ship the operating system early September for the all important back-to-school rush.

I guess we'll all know how feature complete and stable the WWDC developer build is and that will tell us what we need to know.

feynman · June 1, 2007 2:38PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hmurchison

Count me in with the OS X ships in September crew. I think apple gave itself some wiggle room and will actually ship the operating system early September for the all important back-to-school rush.

I guess we'll all know how feature complete and stable the WWDC developer build is and that will tell us what we need to know.

Yeah I don't understand that it will take long from the time they seed the beta to the developers.

Keep in mind the beta build DVDs have to go to manufacturing so I'm sure it will be ready to go a few days prior to WWDC, unless they will be dubbing the DVDs in house but I doubt it.

I'm pretty sure they want to have a pretty polished beta to give to developers so all the features will shine.

And come on, all of you know that the developers at Apple will be working around the clock to fix any bugs in Leopard...

I am guessing we will see a FC build (Final Candidate, the stage right before GM-Golden Master) in September at the latest, if not shipping by then.

Leopard: where is it today?

Comments