" I just got a call from XXXXXX who said there was an error in shipping, and that I would have to return the copy I received and have a new copy shipped next week. I told the rep that I could just not install the software and keep it in the box until next week (technically a lie since I've already installed it).

The rep said that Apple will not offer customer support for the "version" that arrived early. I'm curious how Apple would be able to identify my installed "version" from a version I would receive next week. I mean, these things have gone golden and been boxed already. I doubt Apple will release a new build and re-box them in time for next week's delivery. (The only thing I can think of is if you let the "Registration" happen (after the install of a new OS typically if a net connection is active) that Apple might be monitoring for early registrations now that the word is out. Not sure Tiger does that but just a FYI (if you used your real name, etc.) But then I've never had to call Apple for support on any OS that I remember.-Mike)

When I told the rep "No," he reiterated that Apple won't support my version and that I would have to get a version that shipped next week for it to be supported. He then threw in the offer of a free copy of iLife or iWorks for my inconvenience!

... So far, it runs great on my Sawtooth AGP with Mercury Extreme 900MHz upgrade and Radeon 9000 AGP video card. The desktop widgets are novel, if not entirely useful, and Searchlight was going to take a couple of hours to index my machine before I could use it, so I haven't had time to play with it yet.
-Eric"

Another reader sent Xbench scores comparing Panther to Tiger on an iMac G5 system at a dealer, which showed significant gains in Tiger with that pure benchmark. I asked if he'd run any real-world apps comparisons also and wanted to check if it was ok to post his comments verbatim.

"New Clearance Additions
A wide variety of video cards, FireWire enclosures, G3/G4 Processors, some hard drives, memory and more - at killer clearance prices.

The ATI 9600 for Mirrored Drive Door G4s is of particular interest as it is the lowest cost video card out there, by about 50%, that is supported by Tiger 10.4's 'Core' Video Acceleration technology.
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/bargains/

We also have the ATI 9600s for any PowerMac G5 and PowerMac G4 Digital Audio here: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/video/hardware/
Best Regards,
Lawrence R. O'Connor
Other World Computing "

" The Java update appears to have corrected several things. My company uses a product called Aventail OnDemand which is a Java Based VPN client.
Since 10.3 it has worked on and off again as Apple progressed through system updates. It did not work in Safari under 10.3.8 or 10.3.9. It worked using Internet Explorer in every 10.3 version. I installed the Java Update this morning and tried the VPN client again and now it works fine in Safari under 10.3.9. I have always sent the bug report to Apple whenever it didn't work ...
-Dan "

" We have a special deal running right now on 1GB PC2700/2100 DDR SO-DIMMs compatible with all iBook G4 Models, all iMac G4/1.0GHz-1.25GHz Models, and all PowerBook G4 12/15/17" 2004&2005 Aluminum modes. Price is $149.99 with Free UPS Ground as well as $5 UPS 2nd Day Air Delivery options (Overnight available as well from around $8). While supplies last.

Award winning OWC Mercury Elite FW800/400+USB2 prices now even better! Prices include FireWire 800 Cable, FireWire 400 Cable, USB2 Cable, Dantz Retrospect Backup, Intech HD Speedtools. 2 year OWC Warranty.
250GB was $269.99, now $259.99
300GB was $339.99, now $319.99
400GB was $469.99, now $439.99
Free UPS Ground and $5 2nd Day Air shipping options available.
Best Regards,
Lawrence R. O'Connor
Other World Computing"

" Mike,
Check this out, the update is not yet out but the information is.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301363
("About the iMac G5 Sleep Light Updater
The iMac G5 Sleep Light Updater updates the firmware on your iMac G5 to make the sleep indicator light less bright during evening hours. The sleep indicator light maintains its original brightness during the daytime. This update uses your computer's system clock to determine the time of day and thus the appropriate brightness level.)
William R. "

At first I thought this was a left-over from April Fools, but if not, that's some attention to detail.

" Hi Mike,
After I read about the M-Audio Delta drivers I did a search for new Revolution 7.1 drivers. (www.m-audio.com/images/global/drivers/Revo71_OSX_1.4.0.dmg) They posted new ones (version 1.4.0) dated the same as Delta drivers (April 12, 2005). I'm about to install the drivers. If anything interesting occurs, I'll send you an update.

Here are some notes from the readme. I included the 1.3.0 driver notes because I do not recall those ever being released:

System Requirements

Mac OS X 10.2 and later

PowerMac G4 or greater

Release Notes

Turn off CircleSurround II in the Revolution 7.1 Control Panel before launching any game that utilizes OpenAL. The two different surround sound processing methods, CircleSurround II and OpenAL, can conflict when used in combination.

Do not use the Revolution stereo-only (Quake III) driver (audio engine) unless the standard Revolution Analog audio engine does not work with a particular application. The Revolution stereo-only (Quake III) driverúselectable from the Sound preference panel in System Preferences, or through Audio MIDI Setupúwas provided for use with those rare applications which only work with 2 audio channels. (Quake III is an example of this.) If the Revolution stereo-only (Quake III) driver is needed, make sure that no other applications are accessing the Revolution card, since such simultaneous use will result in conflicts which can lead to errors or crashes.

Advanced Users please note that there are currently discrepancies regarding Core Audio*s channel numbering, as seen in the Audio MIDI Setup (AMS) utility, with the Revolution 7.1 Control Panel. Please use the M-Audio control panel for setting levels, preferences, etc. for the Revolution 7.1 PCI card.

Please visit our website for driver updates:
http://www.m-audio.com/drivers/

Revision History
1.4.0

• (Driver) New dual-interface audio engine, allowing applications to perform input and output on a single Revolution engine.
• (Panel) Control Panel now allows user to choose X2 or X3 surround modes.
• (Panel) Control Panel changed to accurately reflect current sample rate setting.

Ciao! -A.J. "

I've added this to the previous page of Revolution 7.1 feedback/tips.
I missed an ealier reader mail on updated Sonic Theatre drivers also (dated April 14th):

" M-Audio has updated their Audio drivers for the Sonica Theater (USB 7.1 surround sound device), incredible. It says is Tiger's compatible, and can be downloaded here:
http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=support.driverdownload&ID=505
-Regards, Miguel (Spain) "

In their list of changes in driver v1.6 on the drivers page I didn't see a mention of Tiger (10.4) - but he later sent a complete list of changes which mentioned 10.4 in the last item:

" - Now supports OpenAL and discrete Multi-Channel up to 7.1
- Added new surround modes: "Stereo x 2", "Stereo x 3", and "5.1 Expansion".
- When the surround mode is set to "None/OpenAL", audio applications can now output directly to all the available speakers.
- Updated the user interface to make it more consistent.
- Added an Uninstaller.
- Fixed a system crash that could occur when switching between speaker sets.
- Fixed DTS digital playback with Mac OS 10.3 Apple DVD Player.
- Fixed audio output problems for 6.1 and 7.1 speaker sets.
- Fixed a problem that prevented the Subwoofer channel from muting correctly.
- Fixed an audio output problem that occurred when iTunes was playing back with QuickTime 6.4 installed.
- Fixed a problem that could cause a system crash when the sample rate was changed within Cubase SX 2 or higher.
- Removed support for Mac OS 10.1.
- Corrected input and output latency values reported to Core Audio.
- Allow PCM audio to be output to Sonica Theater when the "Digital" speaker set is selected.
- Added an icon to the "Other" row of the System Preferences application that when clicked will launch the Sonica Theater control panel application.
- Fixed a problem that could cause short sounds such as system beeps to be inaudible or truncated.
- Fixed a problem with the installer that caused a security warning with Mac OS 10.4. "

" hi mike,
Mac RealPlayer 10 (10.0.0.305 - 331) and Mac RealOnePlayer have a nasty security flaw and there are updates/upgrades:
http://service.real.com/help/faq/security/050419_player/EN/
there are also upgrades for linux and windows. No required updates for the handhelds.
best2u, curtis "

" I do not know if anyone else has mentioned this, but the Pioneer DVR-109 is supported in Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger.

I recently purchased a DVR-109 and put it in a FireWire case. When booted into the dev version of Tiger, the System Profiler states that it can burn CD and DVDs.

Disc Burning: Yes (Apple Shipped/Supported) -- Apple DVR-106 SuperDrive

Disc Burning: Yes (Apple Shipped/Supported) -- Pioneer DVR-107

Disc Burning: Yes (Unsupported) -- Pioneer DVR-109

The wording "Yes (Unsupported)" is rather odd. Perhaps Unsupported simply means that Apple does not ship any computers with a DVR-109. (just to verify, I asked if he could select the drive for burning in iTunes, etc.-Mike)
Yes, I tried iTunes 4.7.1 in Mac OS X 10.4 yesterday and the -109 DID appeared in the pop-up in the Burning preferences panel. The -109 does NOT appear in the pop-up of iTunes 4.7.1 in Mac OS X 10.3.9 (or earlier) Panther. (unless you install a drive profile using Patchburn 3-Mike)

System Profiler states that the DVR-109 can burn CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and DVD+DL.

The DVD-109 also supports burning DVD-R DL, but Apple does not seem to support that media. Or, it might be that my 1.17 firmware does not support DVD-R DL. It could be that I will have to (somehow) upgrade the firmware to 1.40 (or something later) to support burning DVD-R DL media. I have no idea, at the moment, since I do not have any DVD-R DL media with which to test the drive (with Toast 6.0.9).
Rod "

DVD+R DL was the first Dual Layer media (expensive though), Toast 6.0.7 and later supported many DL drives with that media.

• Review of PitStop Professional 6.5 PDF workflow and preflight tool (IT-Enquirer)
• ChronoSync 3.0.1 Improves Compatibility with Tiger and 10.3.9
• Garden Golf - Mini Golf Game for Mac (FunPause Games)
• Virex 7 Virus Definitions 4/20/05
• Little Snitch 1.2b2 (update for tiger compat. and other fixes)

DVD+R/RW + DVD-R/RW Drives:
• USB (cased) LG GWA-4161B used w/iMac G5 (OS X 10.3)
  (Using Patchburn 3 for iApps burn support.)
• Exp. Bay Matshita UJ-845S in (Pismo) Powerbook G3 2000 (OS X )
  (Using Patchburn 1.1 for 10.2.x iApps burn support. Systems page, Powerbook section has articles from 2001 on expansion bay drive installs/swaps.)
• IDE NEC nd-3520a in B&W G3 (OS X 10.3)
  (Using Patchburn 3 for iApps burn support. Illustrated CD drive install guide here covers B&W G3, Beige G3 MT and G4 towers up to the Digital Audio Model)
• IDE NEC nd-3520a w/iMac slot-loading (OS X 10.3)
  (Running an IDE cable outside the case as mentioned in this article. Using Patchburn 3 for iApps burn support.)
• IDE Pioneer DVR-109 in G5 Tower (OS X 10.3)
  (Using Patchburn 3 for iApps burn support.)
• IDE Toshiba SD-R6472 in iBook 2002 (OS X 10.3)
  (Using Patchburn 3 for iApps burn support.)
  
  Hard Drives:
• IDE PCI card connected Western Digital WD2000JB 200GB (x2) in Dual G4 (OS X 10.3)
  (Illustrated guide to adding a 2nd HD here in B&W G3 rev2 and G4 towers up to the QuickSilver models. IDE articles page RAID section has an illustrated guide for adding 2 more drives in the side bays.)

You can find full owner reports (latest shown first) by searching the database by drive/brand/interface/mac models (the latest reports are shown first in searches). For guides to installing CD/CDRW/DVD drives or Hard drives in many mac models, see the IDE Articles page. The Firewire articles page also has guides on case kits, installing drives, etc.
If you've added a IDE, SCSI, Firewire or USB hard drive, CDRW, tape drive, etc. make sure you add a report to the database. (If you post an updated entry - make sure you use the same name, etc. as you did before so I can find your past entry. Thanks.)
(Incomplete entries are deleted. Do not post questions in the database, it's for drive reports not questions on what drive to buy - for that try searching the database for reports from owners of your mac model on the drive type/brand/interface, etc. you're interested in.)

• Giga Designs G4 1.4GHz (at 1.5GHz) in (Sawtooth) G4/AGP (rated 10)
• Sonnet G3/400 in 20th Anniv. Mac (rated 1)
  (problem with enabler software in OS 9)
  
  (Full reviews of G4 and G3 upgrades compared to stock CPUs, including real world apps/game tests, install info, etc. are linked at the CPU upgrades page. OC/CPU module articles are on the Systems page.)

(Warning - Overclocking may not be reliable and could lead to hardware failure or corrupted data.) You can find the full reports by searching the database selecting the indicated Mac model and upgrade card brand/type. If you've upgraded the CPU on your Mac, please post an entry in the database. Search the database for entries from most every upgradable Mac model *before* you buy. (Searchable by mac model/upgrade brand).