It has to be difficult. Apple now has to keep three versions of Mac OS 10.4 in sync, yet at the same time delivering fixes and enhancements that are exclusive to each variation. With 10.4.5, the changes are dependant on which variation you’re using, and one of those fixes addresses a widely-publicized video display bug with the new Intel-based iMacs.

The short list of what has changed for both the PowerPC and Intel versions is typically vague:

- iChat video conferencing
- Safari rendering of web pages
- usability of Dashboard and widgets
- viewing of QuickTime streaming media behind a firewall
- printing to some Epson printer models
- iDisk and Portable Home Directory syncing
- time zone and daylight savings for 2006 and 2007
- VPN connections to Cisco servers when using NAT
- compatibility with third party applications and devices
- previous standalone security updates

From here, if you’re curious, you’ll want to examine Apple’s own Knowledge Base document, which supposedly covers all the changes affecting both the PowerPC and Intel-based updates from 10.4.4 to 10.4.5. Predictably the file download sizes are different, ranging from a low of just over 6.5MB for my 17-inch PowerBook to an average of 16MB for the “delta” version of the PowerPC update. The Intel version is 98MB, but it has additional fixes, and there’s also a combo update for PowerPC Macs, which covers everything from 10.4.1 to the present, and is an expansive 125MB.

Some of these updates are significant in one way or another, but not everything has been trouble free, at least in my tiny corner of the world. Take, for example, the report that “Safari no longer quits unexpectedly when deleting AOL mail messages via AOL webmail.” True enough, but I still get freezes when trying to print a ZDNet article.

That, however, is the only problem of note I’ve encountered so far, except for the fact that the Setup Assistant reappeared on my PowerBook on the first restart after upgrading from 10.4.4 to 10.4.5. Curious.

But I prefer to look at the positives, since other sites will no doubt have plenty of information on what programs might be broken and other anomalous behavior. So, for example, business users will appreciate the fact that, at long last, “Apple’s IPSec VPN client now works with Cisco servers whether or not NAT is used.” VPN has been a bugaboo of Tiger, and it’s good to see problems being eliminated.

Users of iMovie HD will no doubt be delighted that the 10.4.5 update “addresses an issue for IMovie HD and Mac OS 10.4.4 in which iMovie could unexpectedly quit when switching themes.” The press has also been abuzz with reports that Apple agreed to investigate and has apparently now eliminated “video redraw issues when using Front Row on Intel-based Macs.” There are also fixes for a couple of Rosetta-related bugs, but no indication that any of it affects emulation performance.

Most of you can probably just accept the update and have it install successfully. But it doesn’t hurt to take more of a paranoid approach, and that’s to back up your files before proceeding, and quit all open applications before the update process actually begins. You might want to also consider running Disk Utility or another drive repair application from another drive, to catch any directory corruption issues that might impact the update.

You’ll note, as with previous 10.4 updates, that the first startup will seem to take forever to complete, but things will return to normal after that. If everything works all right, you might still want to run the Repair Disk Permissions feature of Disk Utility. Even if very little is actually fixed, there will be lines and lines of data telling you why the operating system is using special permissions for this, that or the the other thing.

That should be more than enough to get you up and running. If you run into any system problems after taking such simple precautions, though, you might want to download that full or combo updater from Apple and try it all over again. Short of reinstalling an earlier version of Tiger, that would seem the fastest troubleshooting process. That is, unless you have dial-up and have to wait hours and hours to retrieve the file.

If you’re the really cautious type, of course, you might want to avoid the 10.4.5 update altogether for a few days, just to make sure there are no reports of show-stopping bugs.

The real question in my mind, though, is when Apple will fully integrate its operating systems and create a Universal version. Then updates will be even larger, but Apple apparently believes you and I have broadband, without exception. Why else eliminate the standard modem on new Macs, right? That is, other than to sell one as an option.

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For the longest time, most of you ignored the move to Intel processors, buying more and more of the existing PowerPC versions, despite fears of a slowdown. The first official “pause” apparently occurred in December, as rumors rose that the first MacIntels were about to be introduced.

Now I’m not about to say Apple rushed out its first MacIntels months ahead of schedule to combat a dip in sales, although that makes sense. Nor would I say it was done to prod more developers into releasing Universal versions of their applications, but that makes a lot of sense also.

However, the right circumstances came about, which included the release of sufficient quantities of Intel Core Duo chips to fill the empty spaces on the new Macs. Had Intel encountered any delays, or dedicated its initial sales to larger partners, such as Dell or HP, the new computers would never have been released. Now maybe Intel’s CEO, Paul Otellini, couldn’t say no to Steve Jobs, or maybe he rejoiced at getting his new customer’s products out ahead of schedule. Maybe he just likes appearing in public wearing a bunny suit.

The arrival of the first Intel-based Macs merely whet appetites, because you now begin to lust after the models that weren’t updated. A personal example: I have a two-year-old 17-inch PowerBook. It runs well, but has always impressed me as being a little slow. None of the upgrades since then have offered compelling performance boosts, so I’ve pretty well decided to live with what I have.

When I attended Macworld Expo last month, I made it a point to spend as much face time as possible with the MacBook Pros on display. The crowds surrounding the new laptops were long, but I was patient enough to wait for my turn, without attempting to push anyone aside. That may sound like common sense, but, as I child, I would have found ways to sneak past people at get my place at the front of the line. But that was long ago and far away.

When I got my hands on one, I noticed the crowd had dispersed enough to give me enough time at the touch pad without hogging the computer, and I quickly tested the things that concerned me about my PowerBook. I launched Mail, Safari, and then Microsoft Word and Photoshop. The first two, Universal applications, opened almost instantaneously, and my Internet surfing seemed as snappy as on my dual processor Power Mac G5. Impressive! Although in emulation, both Office and Photoshop ran somewhat faster than that PowerBook. The Mac OS X user interface simply soared, as if it was always meant to operate on Intel.

That evening, I ran through some of the same operations on my PowerBook, and it only reinforced my impressions that the MacBook Pro represented a huge performance improvement. Sure, the reviews will emphasize the severe speed hit with Rosetta, but not necessarily when compared to the older PowerBook, even the most recent model.

The lack of a dual layer CD burner didn’t upset me. The lack of a 17-inch screen did. The difference isn’t vast, but I left disappointed that the larger screen wasn’t part of the first release. I feel certain that one will be offered in the near future, after the MacBook Pro is in full production and initial demand has been met. But that might be a month or two from now, at the very least, so my particular needs won’t be met until then. Oh well, I didn’t have the spare cash anyway, so nothing lost, right?

But I can see where the lack of an Intel-based version of the Mac of your dreams may be highly disappointing. Sure there’s nothing wrong with the present PowerPC models. In fact, they might run legacy software noticeably faster and, when it comes to Classic, if you need it, you’ll have to depend on a possible third party solution of unknown compatibility and speed. Or switch everything to Mac X versions, if available.

We’re probably only weeks away from the arrival of MacIntel versions of the iBook and Mac mini. There’s little logic in a delay, and only the availability of parts would slow things down. A little patience goes a long way.

When it comes to the Power Macs, actually they are plenty fast as it is, and the Intel chips that are destined to supplant those duo-core G5 processors aren’t even out yet. True, they may arrive in the second half of the year, and I rather suspect Apple’s Intel transition will be largely complete by fall. So where does that leave you if you must have the fastest Mac on the planet now and can’t wait? Well, consider the applications you want to use. Will Universal versions be ready? If they are close at hand, or just a few months away, and Apple won’t like this, just hold off on your purchase plans. Or prepare to live with software that won’t function at full efficiency.

If the wait will be long and you have to figure out what to do about Classic applications, I wouldn’t hesitate. A Power Mac G5 Quad may not be the fastest PC on the planet in all respects, but it’s no slouch. And Apple could use a few extra sales along about now.

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When you live and work in a highly technical world, it’s easy to take things for granted. Take such common terms as the Finder and the Open dialog box. Elementary, my dear fellow Mac user, yet for millions out there who use Macs with reasonable flexibility, these terms are as foreign as calculus to a first grade student.

Doesn’t seem possible, does it? But it’s quite true, and you shouldn’t construe it as an insult against an entire class of people for whom such terms and features are elusive. The fact is that the people who don’t spend their days perusing sites like this have other things on their minds, perhaps of far greater importance.

To put this in perspective, for over a decade now, I’ve been a volunteer support person for the local Mac user group, AMUG. My phone number is listed in their magazine, and I do get calls from people who want help with problems on their Macs. Most of the questions are simple to solve over the phone, and involve simple setup situations, or just the need to understand why something doesn’t work as it should. I try to keep my responses as free of jargon as possible, because even the phrase “go to the Finder” may be answered by a “What’s that?” and similar responses.

As I said, I’m not attacking anyone’s intelligence. These people have other priorities, and learning each and every feature on their Macs isn’t one of them, and that includes the common functions many of us take for granted. It all goes to show a big disconnect between the assumptions that Apple and other computer companies make about their user base and the sad reality.

This is a pitch I’ve made before, but Apple has a terrific opportunity to change things with its next major Mac OS X release. Yes, I know there will be another 150 or 200 features, and that the ones with the highest level of marketability will be plastered all over Apple’s site and strongly emphasized in the ads. But will “easier to use” be among them? It doesn’t sound sexy enough, and it’s not something you’d count among your favorite features.

Consider Apple’s golden opportunity: After many years of stagnant sales and falling market share, more and more people are buying Macs. Chalk it up to the iPod phenomenon, or the fact that more and more people are becoming disgusted with the rampant problems affecting the Windows platform. Whether it’s the latest virus threat or the fact that many home and small business PCs are inundated with spyware doesn’t matter. These people are looking for something new, something better, and hoping that Apple will provide a solution.

This isn’t to say that using a Mac is necessarily difficult, but it’s not as easy as it should be. When some extremely talented authors need to write troubleshooting books containing hundreds of pages, it’s clear that the “computer for the rest of us” needs a little work to realize Steve Jobs’ vision of a PC appliance.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that Mac OS X is necessarily hard to use out of the box, or difficult to master if you are willing to expend the time and energy to learn the ropes. But you don’t need huge training manuals or problem solving guides for your TV set, even one of those high definition versions with multiple inputs and extensive menus for picture adjustments. And whenever you have to go to the command line in Mac OS X, it’s clear that something is missing, even if there is a shareware utility that puts a friendly face on the function.

So what is Apple to do? Well, providing thick manuals, as they used to do, isn’t the answer. You don’t have the time to read such things, and I don’t either; well, not anymore, although I try to struggle through a user guide when I review a product to understand all of the fine details. How about a training video? Well, Apple actually has a few, available for its .Mac members. You can learn about iLife ‘06, Apple’s professional applications, or just the basics of your operating system. But the instructional presentations are basic, and the announcers I’ve heard need to go back to broadcasting school. Surely Apple can do better, much better.

What about having the best Apple trainer on the planet, Steve Jobs himself, record some training videos that will be supplied on DVD form with your new Mac? Add to that a collection of interactive videos that are combined with the help system. When you run into a problem getting your Mac up and running, why not have Steve help you find a solution?

Yes, pile on the features to sell product, but for Leopard, I do believe Apple ought to return to the basics, to make its computers as easy as possible to use. I shouldn’t have to respond to questions such as “What’s the Finder,” or “I never heard of an Open dialog box.” Something is missing.

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