A couple of things strike me. Firstly, I’m a long-term Linux user, it’s by far my favourite OS. However, I have a soft spot for Macs, which I always think of as having most of the advantages of Linux together with a GUI that’s second to none.

One thing that struck me is that when I first switched to Linux I had much the same reaction that you did as regards virtual desktops. They quickly came to be an indispensable part of the way I worked–I now organise my desktops so that I have my PIM stuff on one, browsers on another, work on another and any terminals or stuff like that on a fourth. It keeps things very clean. It’s a feature that Windows is in desperate need of (it’s not the only thing Windows is in desperate need of!!).

I can see how the concept of the virtual desktop is less necessary on the Mac because of the way the desktop is set up; however, it’s definitely worth giving them a spin for a couple of weeks to see if they help at all. I honestly can’t work effectively without them nowadays!

Time Machine sounds like it will go quite a few steps beyond what MS were trying to do with WinFS (which sounded more like a beefed up version of Linux’s ReiserFS than anything) and I hope it’ll set a standard that others will follow. That said, I expect MS to continue with their terrible System Restore programme for the foreseeable future.

I have issues with Mac’s Mail programme–not in terms of the interface. Things like the Todo lists are very welcome–and a step in the right direction. For too long PIMs haven’t had functionality like this which I regard as pretty basic. I have issues with the format they store the email in. That said, that’s not a complaint directed solely at Apple, MS do the same (only worse).

And Oliver, I remember when 10.4 came out and I thought much the same as you do–that it was more like a big update with a couple of new features rather than a true upgrade. It was only after I’d been using it for a couple of months and i went back to a computer running 10.3 that I realising just how much had improved and how dependent I’d become on the features. I expect 10.5 to follow much the same pattern: be an essential upgrade masquerading as a minor update.

I’m just surprised how little 10.5 has compared to 10.4. The “new features” seem more like updates. It doesn’t really seem like all that when compared to the rumors. Like you said, is that all? That seems to cover it all until the new iPods.