[Love Calm Quiet]

I love reading about all the new Panther features you guys with pre-release versions have enjoyed. So I've got my copy pre-ordered. But I made the BEEEEG mistake of looking at the Apple list of new features... and now I'm antsier than ever!

HELP: I want to pick up a "Guide to", an "Unleashed(not due till 12/2003)" a "Missing Manual(also due 12/2003)", a QuickStart or something (other than 'For Dummies') that'll get me up to speed on all the new feline tricks. (I'd settle for something online, but I love to highlight a book, too!)

I haven't invested in a PRINTED volume since 10.1 came out - but now it's time.
According to Amz, it looks like none of the above is going to be out till "December" (they project ).

My questions:

1) Which series do YOU think the best?
2) Is ANYTHING decent out already?
3) Is there a compilation ONLINE? (with how-to details?) [Please... not just Apple's "Help" - unless that's become much more awesome.]

[hastinapura]

There are a lot of great series - it depends on what your background is. If you want to the most comprehensive (good Terminal intro, etc), you probably want an UNLEASHED or a MISSING MANUAL. [I've never looked at the Visual QuickStart's Mac stuff.]
If you're not much of a system geek, you might like the Robin Williams MAC OS X book on Panther. They'll probably all hit the street about the same time (like a month later than they say).

Till then -- I just watch these Forums for the best tips -- somebody'll prob have a "best features" thread or two.

BEST ONLINE info: *** Anybody else know of good source ? ***

[Love Calm Quiet]

:bump:
Come on guys... where do you guys get your best tips when a new OS release comes out?

Don't leave me stumbling around, please

[TheIceMan]

I bought "The Missing Manual Mac OS X" for Jaguar. It was very useful. That book and this forum have been so helpful in keeping me informed about my Mac. My guess is that if you're using Jaguar, Panther will not be that hard to pick up. Besides, anything new/cool will be mentioned/talked about/argued right here at MacNN.

[ryaxnb]

Mac Secrets Nov 2003 should Panther.
But more importantly Missing Manual Mac OS X

[WJMoore]

I've always found these sorts of books to be filled with stuff I already know. I get all my info from reading forums, (Mac NN, AppleInside & 4OSX), and just using the OS.

[mitchell_pgh]

My thoughts...

Just because the book says it was written for 10.2, doesn't it's worthless. You can still pick up many good tips from the older books.

You could even pick up a Unix book and pick up some stuff.

All of the latest greatest will be described in this forum or at another forum. What were you looking for?

[macsfromnowon]

Hi, I'm excited to be getting my first Mac next week. It's a used TiBook, but 512MB & airport with Jaguar. I'm really wanting to get Panther installed and start my learning with the latest system. I saw Jobs demo quicktime for developers and I really want to learn the ropes on the new features.

I'm trying to do things right on these forums, so I looked for info on a book so I can start reading up while on the job (no internet connection there) and jump right in once I get home at end of the day. I didn't see any other threads on Panther books. I really don't plan to try Unix, but want to be able to find the coolest hidden features like some of those in Jaguar that the guy showed me who's selling me his Tibook.

Looks like I'm going to have to wait till december for the recommended books? :weeps: Hasn't anybody seen anything hit the shelves yet? Amazon makes it seem like Missing Manual and other hot titles won't see daylight till December.

Sorry to be so impatient, but it's going to be hard enough being separated from my new Tibook all workday.

Thanks... and I LOVE the stuff on your forums!

[Love Calm Quiet]

I don't see any sign that David Pogue is going to update his Missing Manual for Panther (he's got a "dummies" for Mac due out in Jan 2004).

Anybody heard otherwise; if not I guess I'll be lining up for "Unleashed"

[Foulenough]

Tidbits have the Take Control series, with two online books available at http://www.tidbits.com/takecontrol/default.html . They offer one book on installing Panther and one on using it.

I've not bought them myself, but Tidbits itself is excellent, offering a weekly e-newsletter on the latest and greatest in the Mac world, so I'd imagine that the Take Control series would be very good - and at $5 each, cheap as well!

[PabloTX]

He was on The Screensavers last night and he said it would be available in December.

Originally posted by Love Calm Quiet:
I don't see any sign that David Pogue is going to update his Missing Manual for Panther (he's got a "dummies" for Mac due out in Jan 2004).

Anybody heard otherwise; if not I guess I'll be lining up for "Unleashed"

[Love Calm Quiet]

Thanks for the "Tidbits" tip. Looks very interesting, though obviously at ~50 pages their volumes are not going to have the depth of the "Missing Manual" or "Unleashed" series.

Wonder if the "Take Control of Upgrading to Panther" covers *unplugging external FW drives* before the upgrade

[msuper69]

I get my tips for free on the Internet.

[macsfromnowon]

That's great - if you're one of those people with a lot of leisure time for browsing and/or have a high-speed connection.

But it sure does help bring me up to speed on a vast and complex area with lots of buried treasure (OS X) to have a book. Lunch hour in the company cafeteria would become a lot more bearable with a Panther "Unleashed" on the table before me.

[macsfromnowon]

Anybody got an opinion about Bob LeVitus' work?

Looks like his title (Dr. Mac: The OS X Files, Panther Edition) might be the first on the shelf. Amazon lists the release date as "September 2003". But I'm not sure any have shipped. They say "Usually ships within 12 to 14 days."

[JKT]

The bible of MacOS X hints. Why look anywhere else?