---
title: "Late to the Panther party"
date: 2003-10-29T08:38:46-05:00
url: https://blog.lmorchard.com/2003/10/29/late-to-the-panther-party/
author: Les Orchard
---

# Late to the Panther party

<p>
I know I'm late to the blogosphere release party for <a href="http://www.apple.com/macosx/">Panther</a>, but I just got it last night and, biting the bullet, installed it with only minimal effort toward backing things up.  I intend to eventually wipe this PowerBook completely and install fresh, but I couldn't wait.  :)
</p>
<p>
<a href="http://diveintomark.org/archives/2003/10/24/panther">Mark Pilgrim</a> published the most definitive coverage of the beastie I've seen yet, with help of the denizens of <a href="http://joi.ito.com/joiwiki/IrcChannel">#joiito</a> to manage the onslaught of readers.  So, I won't make any attempt to catalog the new things.
</p>
<p>
A few impressions though:
</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Everything</b> feels faster.  Windows slide around and resize like they've been waxed underneath.  Things seem to launch faster.</li>
<li>A few small things have improved, like System Preferences quitting when I close the window, rather than hanging around waiting for me to open the window again or quit.</li>
<li>Some third-party extension I had installed threw Finder into a launch-and-crash loop for awhile.  So, if you've yet to install, try to purge your system of extensions first.  This should be obvious, but is sometimes a surprise when it's actually a problem.</li>
<li>Expose looked like a neat feature when I first heard of it.  I fully expected it to be slow, stuttery, and 'cute' when I finally played with it.  Now, having used it and slowly incorporating it into my usage habits, it's amazing.  Smooth and not stuttery at all, it looks like a computer interface feature from the movies.</li>
<li>Fast user switching, where desktops rotate in and out of view, also looks like you wish it would, and seems like it's from the movies.</li>
<li>I <b>hate</b> metal.</li>
<li>I hate <i>metal</i>.</li>
<li><u>I hate metal.</u></li>
</ul>
<p>
That is all.  For now.  Maybe.
</p>
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