Snow Leopard's low-key launch
Apple's Fifth Ave. store
As of 8 a.m., there was no queue of eager customers lining up outside Apple's (AAPL) flagship Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan to buy the sixth major update of the Macintosh operating system, Snow Leopard, which went on sale Friday morning.
The relatively low-key launch was in striking contrast to the Oct. 26, 2007 unveiling of its predecessor, Leopard, which drew crowds that began at the store's big glass cube and wound around the block.
It's also in keeping with the nature of the new system, which for a new Apple OS boasts relatively few new features. As most reviewers have noted, Mac OS 10.6 is a faster, slimmer "refinement" of Leopard whose improvements are largely hidden from users.
UPDATE: Reader David Emery reports that there were 30 people waiting outside the new Reston, Va., Apple store when it opened at 10 a.m. Friday morning. And reader Mike in New York City reports that there were approximately 100 people outside Manhattan's 24-hour Fifth Ave. store when Snow Leopard went on sale at midnight the night before. It was raining in New York Friday morning, which may have discouraged early buyers.
See also:
"Yes. In a year or two Microsoft will have to rewrite Windows entirely (again) to accommodate more than 192 GB of RAM when they realize that by 2015 they'll be bumping up against the ceiling for high end power users."
And… how is that any different from Snow Leopard? Snow Leopard is FINALLY 64 bit. Windows has been 64 bit for YEARS! It's Apple that is bumping up against the ceiling for high end power users. How's that for the "world's most advanced OS"?
Tried to call Best Buy on Wednesday to see if they'd have it in stock (I'm 30 minutes away from an Apple store). Took 30 minutes to get through. Finally got an answer, asked to be sent to the Apple section, it rang a few times and went to a voice mailbox. I gave them about 3 hrs to call me back, then I ordered off apple.com and got free shipping. By the way, not only did I get free shipping, but they overnighted it and it was on my doorstep before 3pm Friday. Still haven't heard from Best Buy . . .
Just installed Snow Leopard and nothing really happened except everything works faster and I ended up with an extra 10GB on my drive, it did just what Apple said it would. Once again a super product. And that's why "I am a MAC".
Mr. Elmer-DeWitt:
I must say – I read your blog post and then (with the multiple corrections included) and then I read your Bio and then I figured something out – you haven't really learned a whole lot since 1982.
I am not going to bore you with your other mistakes in your blog post, at least not the ones you have already tried to correct. But what is with your statement in the comment field: "Right you are about the launch date. Fixed that. (June 6, 2005 was the day it was announced.) Thanks for the catch. As for how many versions of OS X Apple has released, most writers count Tiger twice; one for PPC, another for Intel.""
Who are these "most writers" that you are referring to? Walter Mossberg? David Pogue? Andy Ihnakto? John Dvorak? Robert Cringely? Guy Kawasaki? Mickey Mouse?
Who has ever considered the Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) upgrade to be two upgrades and counts it twice? Huh?
Sadly, for you and your magazine, a MUCH better assessment was made by a competing magazine regarding the meaning and purpose for Snow Leopard. I highly suggest you read this article. You can find that here:
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_36/b4145000590949.htm?campaign_id=yhoo
And if this article doesn't mean much to you, I strongly suggest you (and I hope your editors are kind and execute a semi-considerate nudge) consider another field of work.
ex ped: Thanks for the advice, DDS. I'll take it in the spirit it was given. One thing I've learned since 1982 is not to pick fights with anonymous critics. Meanwhile, If you have a problem with Apple's OS numbering scheme, I suggest you take it up with them. As for what other writers believe, you might try a Google search for "snow leopard seventh major release." And if you are looking for more articles like the Businessweek column that caught your fancy, click here.
"Snow Leopard's actual release is greeted with a yawn, while Windows 7 is getting huge buzz with a month to go before launch. Any guesses how this will pan out in the next year or two?"
Yes. In a year or two Microsoft will have to rewrite Windows entirely (again) to accommodate more than 192 GB of RAM when they realize that by 2015 they'll be bumping up against the ceiling for high end power users.
LOL
I stopped by Best Buy during my lunch break. I was hoping to pick up a family pack, but when I asked the guy behind the Geek counter, he said he didn't think it had been released and was still in beta. He told me to ask one of the employees in the blue shirts. I guess I'll order it on Amazon, discount and free delivery. I'm not planning to install it until I've seen enough reports from others that have gone through the process.
I think everyone opted to order it online…here's a good article on the ever-feline mac OS.
http://onthebutton.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/apple-snow-leopard/
I guess even devoted Apple fans don't stand on line for OS service packs. Besides Amazon had been doing brisk business and I guess pent-up demand is already filled. The fanboys are saving their energy for September 10th to stand on line for the imminent iPod Touch.
I've already been using SL 10A432 for awhile so I certainly don't need to be standing out in the rain in NYC.
New Yorkers go to the Apple Store at night … tourists go during the day.
ps Waiting for FedEx delivery.
It would be interesting to see how many people pre-ordered their copy of Snow Leopard to have it delivered to them today. I thought it was a brilliant move on Apple's part to send an e-mail to customers letting them know you could order it this week and it would be on your doorstep on Friday. There may be a silent but large undercurrent of people who opted for delivery rather than running down to the store.
At 10:00 this morning in the new Reston, VA store, the line was just inside the building. Maybe 30 people, and that queue length was preserved for the about 15 minutes it took me to wait, get my copy and leave.
Apple should have provided coffee 
ex ped: Thanks, David. I've noted your report in an update.
Snow Leopard's actual release is greeted with a yawn, while Windows 7 is getting huge buzz with a month to go before launch. Any guesses how this will pan out in the next year or two?
My copy is arriving at my home today. As with many, I don't do long lines. I look forward to the new system characteristics.
To: ny 9:17am
Where did you order it "weeks if not months ago"? I somehow think this person doesn't know what they are talking about.
If was available for preorder on the 24th, mine shipped yesterday and should arrive today or Monday.
You might also want to point out that it is pouring in NYC and since it is easy enough to order online, assuming you hadn't already done so, most folks would probably opt for staying in or just going to work.
Actually, leopard came out in 2007, 2005 would have been tiger.
Also, there are have only been 5 major releases of osx hence the point number 6, less 1 since 10.1 was a flush. Does no one at CNN edit their work ?
ex ped: Right you are about the launch date. Fixed that. (June 6, 2005 was the day it was announced.) Thanks for the catch. As for how many versions of OS X Apple has released, most writers count Tiger twice; one for PPC, another for Intel.
as with most online stories you can see there is no 'meat' to this story and non event.. in actuality it's not even worth taking the time to post.
There was a line at midnight as about 100 people lined up to get the first copies in the US…
ex ped: Thanks for that report. I've recast the headline accordingly.
Why on earth would anyone expect there be a line for a system upgrade Dimwitt?
Everyone who wants it ( everyone) has ordered it online for home delivery weeks if not months ago…
ex ped: Has yours arrived? Mine hasn't.
Tom Said:
>>Snow Leopard's actual release is greeted with a yawn, while Windows 7 is getting huge buzz with a month to go before launch. Any guesses how this will pan out in the next year or two?
Sounds to me that you only speak to Windows fanboys. They are not so happy with Win 7, just check any of their forums. In public, yeah, they are pretty much on message, but let's face it, 7 is only an upgrade of Vista, and that one was legendary in it's low adoption rate.
I think the better question is, what happens if Windows Seven fails even half as much as Vista did? Trainwreck, that's what.
I think by this time next year, Apple could have 20% of the US market. The outlook/exchange monopoly has been effectively worked around by Apple. Since they sell computers and well as the software, just a few points of marketshare could put them over MS faltering market cap quite easily.
PC or Mac? is the question. It is no longer valid to only consider the PC and ignore the Mac as was so much the SOP for the Mac challenged only a few years ago. Not the case today.
Meanwhile, Apple has tons of aces up their sleeve. It would be a cakewalk for them to release a version for the generic PC, for example. And the iPhone and iPod also present huge opportunities where Microsoft has literally nothing but the laughing stock.