Writing for The Wall Street Journal , Walter Mossberg has recently done an analysis of Apple’s forthcoming upgrade to Mac OS X, version 10.1. Mossberg’s comments come in a new article entitled Apple May Go Mainstream With New System Features.
Mossberg recounts the history of Mac OS X’s release, noting that its first incarnation, released this past March, “was incomplete and not ready for mainstream users.” Mossberg said that 10.1, combined with Microsoft’s forthcoming version of Office for OS X, may turn the operating system into the “everyday face” of the Mac.
The columnist affirmed Steve Jobs’ assertion at Macworld Expo this past July that 10.1 works more smoothly and faster than its predecessor. Mossberg is testing the pre-release OS update on a beefed up iBook, and seemed pleased with some of the interface enhancements that have been developed to make the radical new OS easier to use and more friendly to existing Mac users.
Apple’s distribution of OS X 10.1 has been a big source of debate among Mac users — the company has said that it’ll distribute the massive update on CD-ROM, charging users a handling fee of US$19.95 to receive their copy of new operating system. Mossberg suggested that there may be an alternative, too. “People who currently use OS X can get the 10.1 upgrade free on CDs that will be available in some stores,” said Mossberg.
A subscription is required to access the article, but Mossberg’s columns are later archived and available for public perusal at the Personal Technology from the Wall Street Journal Web site.