Mac OS X 10.5.5 approaching as testing focus narrowed
A release of the fifth maintenance and security update for Apple's Leopard operating system appears to be approaching a release, with the company reported to have lopped the number components requiring evaluation in half.
Developers claim to have received their pre-weekend build of the upcoming Mac OS X 10.5.5 Update on Thursday evening. The new build, labeled 9F32, arrived just days after a smaller subset of developers were equipped with build 9F30, which similarly followed on the heels of build 9F29 distributed more broadly near the start of the week.
With the latest build, Apple has narrowed its testing field from 24 core system components to just 12, according to people familiar with the software. Among the components still in need of further testing are AirPort, graphics drivers, iCal, iChat, screen sharing, and Time Machine, those people say.
Build 9F32 is also reported to have stemmed a nasty memory glitch that was affecting Time Machine volumes formatted in HFS. A problem using the CUPS printing environment with documents loaded into Apple's Preview application is also said to have been fixed.
While Mac OS X 10.5.5 remains hampered by a single known issue related to email search in the company's Mail application, the narrowed focus list combined with more rapid test releases over the past week has led some developers to believe the Update may only be a week or so away.
Only once in recent memory has the Mac maker shaved a large number of components from the focus areas of an impending Mac OS X update late in its development cycle and then spun around to re-broaden them.
Mac OS X 10.5.5 currently weighs in at around 320 megabytes in its bare bones Delta form, those familiar with the software say.
Developers claim to have received their pre-weekend build of the upcoming Mac OS X 10.5.5 Update on Thursday evening. The new build, labeled 9F32, arrived just days after a smaller subset of developers were equipped with build 9F30, which similarly followed on the heels of build 9F29 distributed more broadly near the start of the week.
With the latest build, Apple has narrowed its testing field from 24 core system components to just 12, according to people familiar with the software. Among the components still in need of further testing are AirPort, graphics drivers, iCal, iChat, screen sharing, and Time Machine, those people say.
Build 9F32 is also reported to have stemmed a nasty memory glitch that was affecting Time Machine volumes formatted in HFS. A problem using the CUPS printing environment with documents loaded into Apple's Preview application is also said to have been fixed.
While Mac OS X 10.5.5 remains hampered by a single known issue related to email search in the company's Mail application, the narrowed focus list combined with more rapid test releases over the past week has led some developers to believe the Update may only be a week or so away.
Only once in recent memory has the Mac maker shaved a large number of components from the focus areas of an impending Mac OS X update late in its development cycle and then spun around to re-broaden them.
Mac OS X 10.5.5 currently weighs in at around 320 megabytes in its bare bones Delta form, those familiar with the software say.
Comments
/sarcasm
Bring on 10.5.6 and it's rumored Blu-Ray support, please
Kevin Rose is full of shit. There is no parallel development of Mac OS X. As much as I wish there was, there isn't. There isn't a team secretly working on 10.5.6 while 10.5.5 is being worked on. If there's no hints of Blu-Ray in 10.5.5 it's probably not coming in 10.5.6.
As much as I wish that there would be parallel development at Apple for point updates, there isn't.
The only parallel dev happening is between the full version number changes.
Holy shit that seems like a large update or is it me?
Kevin Rose is full of shit. There is no parallel development of Mac OS X. As much as I wish there was, there isn't. There isn't a team secretly working on 10.5.6 while 10.5.5 is being worked on. If there's no hints of Blu-Ray in 10.5.5 it's probably not coming in 10.5.6.
As much as I wish that there would be parallel development at Apple for point updates, there isn't.
The only parallel dev happening is between the full version number changes.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Apple the only major computer manufacturer now that isn't offering Blu-Ray? Their lack of support is fast-approaching the seriousness of their situation several years ago when everyone else was offering CD burners and Apple ignorantly thought the world would skip CD and go straight to DVD.
So how do you know there's no parallel development? Did you work there? Do you have a spy camera hidden somewhere on their campus?
Please share with us your factual knowledge of how you could possibly know this.
Kevin Rose is full of shit. There is no parallel development of Mac OS X. As much as I wish there was, there isn't. There isn't a team secretly working on 10.5.6 while 10.5.5 is being worked on. If there's no hints of Blu-Ray in 10.5.5 it's probably not coming in 10.5.6.
As much as I wish that there would be parallel development at Apple for point updates, there isn't.
The only parallel dev happening is between the full version number changes.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Apple the only major computer manufacturer now that isn't offering Blu-Ray? Their lack of support is fast-approaching the seriousness of their situation several years ago when everyone else was offering CD burners and Apple ignorantly thought the world would skip CD and go straight to DVD.
I think apple is looking to promote its way of delivering high def movies: iTunes Music Store. Less support for blueray, might mean more people download from apple.
I think there is blueray support for apple, it's just not being built into the systems.
Build 9F32 is also reported to have stemmed a nasty memory glitch that was affecting Time Machine volumes formatted in HFS.
Does this mean "as opposed to HFS+", or am I clueless about how TM drives can be setup?
Mail searching... I hope they fix that error.
I recently had that issue too. I rebuilt and everything was okay.
Kevin Rose is full of shit. There is no parallel development of Mac OS X.
While I tend to agree that Rose doesn't have any inside sources, is it not possible that Bly-ray support, not its specific inclusion into a point release, be worked on another group. If they were going to release it I would think that iDVD and other professional apps would the be first to get it. At that point any framework or system support for BR could be put into the point release, so perhaps it's just a bulletin of what may be coming next time... but I having doubts that BR support is coming at all.
I think apple is looking to promote its way of delivering high def movies: iTunes Music Store. Less support for blueray, might mean more people download from apple.
Unfortunately I'm afraid that's probably the case; problem is 1.) their HD quality is closer to an upconverted DVD than actual HD due to their low bitrates, and 2.) most people don't want to pay-to-own super-compressed videos trapped inside a proprietary box. Both storage and the internet are not mature enough yet for real HD content delivery; we need Blu-Ray as a stopgap for at least five years.
Both storage and the internet are not mature enough yet for real HD content delivery; we need Blu-Ray as a stopgap for at least five years.
One of the smartest things someone's said on this forum. Mostly because I've been saying the same bloody thing while everyone else is saying, "what?! We don't need Blu-Ray. We need thumb drives and more MacAir's with flash." The same people who invest in APPL based on rumors.
p.s. Not to mention media pros need Blu-Ray for well...media.
I've complained to Apple about this several times. Wonder if they fixed it.
One of the smartest things someone's said on this forum. Mostly because I've been saying the same bloody thing while everyone else is saying, "what?! We don't need Blu-Ray. We need thumb drives and more MacAir's with flash." The same people who invest in APPL based on rumors.
p.s. Not to mention media pros need Blu-Ray for well...media.
Lets not forget that Isp's like Comcast are putting the smack down on your download's. If this move catches on your allocated bandwidth could be used up downloading 5-10 movies. Blueray may not be a "must have" for a mac but do not write off physical media just yet.
... I am also sure there is some kind of licensing fee or something that some manufacturer has up their sleeve that Apple doesn't care to pay.
Make it a BTO option and pass the cost on to the consumer. There are people that will *gladly* pay the fee.
Lets not forget that Isp's like Comcast are putting the smack down on your download's. If this move catches on your allocated bandwidth could be used up downloading 5-10 movies. Blueray may not be a "must have" for a mac but do not write off physical media just yet.
Good point. Downloaded HD faces two hurdles. The lack of really fast broadband service (like FIOS) in all parts of the country and bandwidth caps. Apple have no control or influence over this either.
I agree with Corey. BR will reign for at least 5 years.
Make it a BTO option and pass the cost on to the consumer. There are people that will *gladly* pay the fee.
Except that this 'option' would require embedding the HDCP DRM into *the entire system*, even for machines that would never use Blu-Ray. It's not going to be just the folks who BTO it who would pay for it, it would be all of us.
Except that this 'option' would require embedding the HDCP DRM into *the entire system*, even for machines that would never use Blu-Ray. It's not going to be just the folks who BTO it who would pay for it, it would be all of us.
1) Isn't Montevina the first Intel chipset that has this natively?
2) What is the cost of this?
When I worked at Cisco, we worked on .1, .2, and .3 in parallel with each other.
So how do you know there's no parallel development? Did you work there? Do you have a spy camera hidden somewhere on their campus?
Please share with us your factual knowledge of how you could possibly know this.
i make plastics...for apple
Except that this 'option' would require embedding the HDCP DRM into *the entire system*, even for machines that would never use Blu-Ray. It's not going to be just the folks who BTO it who would pay for it, it would be all of us.
Why couldn't be embedded into systems that only use BR?
Apple releases system software versions specific to machines, why not with this as well?
Let me put it this way. If they're not working concurrently on dot updates, I've got a productivity idea I'd like to sell them.
i make plastics...for apple