If you are a Mac and Logos user, you might want to delay installing the Snow Leopard update of Mac Os X by hopefully just a few days or so. Apple’s publicity for this version of its operating system over the last few months can’t seem to decide whether to describe this almost as a minor update or as a whole new operating system. The truth seems to be that while there are not very many new features on this upgrade, the whole code has been rewritten [UPDATE: this is actually not correct, tho the system has been updated significantly to take advantage of 64bit processing]. PC users are used to being very anxious about installing upgrades. Mac users tend to be eager to do it ideally on the first day it is released. 7GB extra hard disk space and a faster leaner operating system with even better video handling and video iChat that will leave PC web chatting even further behind in the dust (full 640×480 video chat without stuttering over even quite a modest broadband speed is what we are being told!). A Mac is worth the purchase for its ability to video chat over the internet alone.
There has however been some reports from the developer community of incompatibilities between Logos Bible software and Snow Leopard. Some have spoken about books causing crashes, and of font problems.
A Logos spokesman said, “The release code for Snow Leopard isn’t available to anyone outside of Apple yet, so we have no way to test it to make sure Logos for Mac will work without incident. However, we have been testing it on beta builds, and it seems that there is one issue with the Charis SIL Italic font that will probably require a version 1.2.1 to fix. Before we fix it, we want to make sure that it’s still a problem in the release code–it is possible Apple may have changed the code that was causing ours to misbehave–and for that matter, that nothing else surfaces. Once we’ve been able to test it on the release version of Snow Leopard, we’ll get a new version out ASAP. The fix should be pretty simple, so we will probably be able to have the update out very shortly after release.”
I am shocked that Mac don’t let developers like Logos have access to the release code early. I would have thought that it would be a no-brainer to help prevent compatibility problems. It does make you wonder about any possible issues with other software, and there is a line on the Snow Leopard website that as part of the install process “Snow Leopard checks your applications to make sure they’re compatible and sets aside any programs known to be incompatible.”
So, speaking personally, you bet I have bought the family pack version of the upgrade and am eagerly awaiting that shiny disk and beautifully designed package. You bet I will be installing it on my wife’s machine immediately. But, I will wait just a little while before doing so on my logos machine. If you do decide to be brave and get access to the release code, sounds like Logos will be eager to receive any bug information. Visit the Logos Bible Software and Snow Leopard thread in their community forum and let them know.
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