Apple’s Jaguar: One cool cat

Apple’s "innovative" new UNIX-based operating system, Mac OS X v10.2 code-named Jaguar is much faster than the previous versions of Os X and comes packed with 150 new features including an improved e-mail client, and an efficient spam filter. Its networking tool, Rendezvous, that allows any two Rendezvous-equipped computers or devices to recognize each other when they are on the same wired or wireless network. It evens supports Microsoft Office. Jaguar also comes with the built-in technology to plug in to a Windows network and share resources with Windows computers.

Better fit and finish, faster than ever before, competitively priced. The critics all agree (now how often does that really happen) that the Mac OS X is nothing short of "beautiful". But the million dollar question is - will it succeed in enticing the Windows PC user to switch over? Apple is looking at the Mac OS X as the irresistible killer app that will force people to switch from PCs to Macs.

With so many goodies to pamper the end-user, the Mac OS X also offers Darwin for the discerning geek, features such as the multithreading and SMP-safe drivers. It combines the functionalities derived from FreeBSD and the GNU C compiler into Darwin. POSIX support and a shell-programming environment hopes that the developer community will drive the popularity of the OS X just as they have, in the case of Linux.

Apple shouts from the rooftops about Windows’ hegemony (and a whole lot of takers to buy that argument). But how about introducing the Mac Office or Safari for Windows users?