by Mark H. Anbinder mha@tidbits.com Reprinted from TidBITS 701

Apple Computer released Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, this year's new version of the Mac OS X operating system, on 24-October. Panther Server, or Mac OS X Server 10.3, was released at the same time. Panther boasts a completely rewritten and redesigned Finder, offering faster searching and a user interface showing its first major evolution away from the remnants of the NeXT user interface. New features include Expose, a clever way of selecting from among all open windows; iChat AV, an audio- and video-enabled version of Apple's chat software; fast user switching; FileVault home directory encryption and other security enhancements; and behind-the-scenes synchronization of the user's iDisk to a local folder for offline work.

http://www.apple.com/ macosx/ overview/
http://www.apple.com/ server/ macosx/
http://db.tidbits.com/ getbits.acgi? tbart= 07242

Panther supports all PowerPC G3- and G4-based Macs that shipped with USB ports (which eliminates a few older PowerPC G3 models that worked with Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar), plus the new Power Mac G5s. It is available for pre-order immediately from the Apple Store or other Apple retailers at a single-user price of AU$229.00 or a "family pack" price (for up to five users at the same residence) of AU$349.00. Panther Server costs AU$849.00 for the 10-client edition and AU$1,698.00 for the unlimited-client edition.

MACinations November 03