The Path to OS X
Finale: OS X Spreads Its Wings.

New!The Path to OS X Finale: OS X Spreads Its Wings
(MacOS/hype)-D. Browell

Part12: This Might Hurt A Little...
Part 11: The App Game
Part 10: Novice Shoes
Part 9: It's the Hardware, Baby!
Part 8: X Equals Ten
Part 7: Good Karma
Part 6: A New Breed Of Apple
Part 5: Steve Jobs/Spurrier
Part 4: Sideshow Skirmishes
Part 3: Command Who?
Part 2: Glances...
Part 1: From the Ashes

Boom. Is it the sound of a gun going off? Or the sonic charge of a skyward vehicle? We're walking the path, taking note of the test drive that was the OS X public beta. Apple asked for our input, and some of us wrote tomes. In San Francisco we were shown how well they listened and for many of the authors it was a surprising amount. Now, we visit the Apple site to see the daily clock tick to the single-digits of days remaining until debut. Remarkably the Mac world still holds its breath amid the noise and worry of a system pushed out of the nest too early. But the ground shaking isn't from the combined nervous twitch of Mac users, but rather the greatest heave of computing earth in Apple's recent OS history. Do we think Steve Jobs is crossing his fingers during the launch? My guess is no. He has all of us to cross for him.

As we thought, we have new machines to spin the grand disc on (although the lower end iMacs are still short of a RAM requirement from the get go). Our forums are filled with should I's as we read the list of upcoming apps, consider the new learning curve, and debate the six month forecast of updates and new products. Those with a spare capable machine or an office guinea pig are eager to at least test drive the new OS is a controlled environment, while some casual users are beginning to change their minds with the confidence that this major release will be more stable, and in fact more astonishing than the Public Beta, which most of us saw for ourselves or over shoulders.

Fittingly, this release seems less about Steve and more about us. The release isn't broadcast by Keynote at a convention with an "Operators Standing By" feel to it. That's not to say it's without fanfare, just a different type of Bang for the Buck. In fact, the fanfare is far larger than any convention with U.S. News, Forbes and Wired already punching out news days before the actual release, and often tempered with the praise of other new Apple machines, strategies and programs.

With the hype in our sails, even the most worried Mac fan has to be at least a little happy the day has finally come (the fuming often becomes a turn-off for the casual user, soured by the attitudes of "fans"). No matter how jaded some of us become we know this release could easily be our make or break home-stretch. The world won't end with a bang if it is the end, but rather with a drawn out whimper over the next two years. But if the momentum keeps up, and the Apple Stores crop up in time for major apps to debut on the still warm OS X, as new machines premier and the stocks rise... Well, then we have something to smile about across the table. When the casual user can feel empowered and in the know we know it's worked. Whether that be in a school, a home, an airport or an office. The key is to remember that this isn't about the Mac fan, but the casual onlooker or first time convert. To be blunt, we need to hit the world hard and fast before Windows XP so the contrast (and blatant posturing) will be obvious. And in the wake of the media, a trial, a fan base, an ad campaign and the Apple savvy attitude, new consumers are born.

Finally, thanks for coming along for my slow ride. I know there are dozens of "news" sites out there, and almost as many random columns dictating and suggesting attitudes about OS X; But there just weren't many "Regular Joe" articles. Thanks to the sites below for their attention and info, and thanks for dropping in. Now go out there and install OS X on a work machine and play. This is our big dance, might as well get out there and groove than just standing at the wall, waiting for it to look safe on the dancefloor.

by Dean Browell
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"The Path to OS X" is a series of articles examining the casual user's view of OS X. Take with a grain of salt and dash of incense for full effect.

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