Mac OS X 10.3 Panther Slated for 24-Oct

Apple Computer announced today that Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, this year’s new version of the Mac OS X operating system, will be available at Apple’s retail stores and authorized resellers at 8:00 PM on Friday, 24-Oct-03. Panther Server, or Mac OS X Server 10.3, will be 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. (See "Mac OS X Panther Springs at WWDC" in TidBITS 685.)

Panther supports the same set of PowerPC G3- and G4-based Macs as Mac OS X 10.2 Jaguar, plus the new Power Mac G5s. It is available for ordering immediately at a single-user price of $130 or a “family pack” price (for up to five users at the same residence) of $200. Panther Server costs $500 for the ten-client edition and $1000 for the unlimited-client edition. Anyone purchasing Mac OS X or a new Mac today or later, or anyone who’s purchased a G5 at all, is entitled to a Mac OS Up-To-Date upgrade to Panther for a $20 shipping and handling fee; a corresponding Panther Server offer is available to anyone who purchases Mac OS X Server or an Xserve today or later.