Apple’s Panther: Lying About Windows

After taking a giant step backwards in networking with Panther (random server access and then finally, none. For three days!), I broke down and downloaded a demo of ADmitMac. Imagine. Networking as it’s supposed to be. I can actually _see_ servers. Better, I can open files from the servers where I have such privileges. This is what I expected from Panther. I didn’t get it.

Apple. You are lying. Again. OS 10.3 has made my corporate life LIVING HELL. Apple, you have again made my IT manager’s life a constant stream of questions and troubleshooting for ONE MACHINE on his network. Interoperability, my ass.

There is a mitigating factor that OS X is better to look at, but if I can’t do my job, what value is your OS? And more importantly, I CAN SEE THROUGH THE LIES. Apple does not provide, out of the box, a working way for me to see and mount servers on a Windows network without my network person having to make their network less secure and not current.

Here’s a hint that might help those of you in this situation.

Oh the agonies one must face using the Lamborghini/ Ferrari/ Porsche of operating systems.

  • http://blab-o-rama.com beerzie boy

    ok. maybe i’ll just keep my windows box.

  • Torrie

    For us non techie Windows users your e-mail might as well have been in another language. But, it somehow still manages to be amusing.

  • http://www.mrjerz.com/ mrjerz

    Is the connectivity, limited as it may be, better than in 10.2? Or is it just crap all the way around? And was the supposed connectivity the reason for your upgrade? I am wondering because we are thinking about making the leap too. We have 10.2 now and can live with our somewhat limited Windoze networking, but would love to have more.

  • http://www.digitalcatharsis.com the mighty jimbo

    i’m still trying to figure out why my titanium is running about as fast as a 93 color classic lately.

    grumble.

    i’m about ready to kick steve in the nuts.

  • http://www.bridget.kelly.name/ Bridget

    Grim.
    I got a Mac for the first time in June. I’d had the only PC on our mini-Mac network for a while, and had been continually frustrated by networking woes. Nothing really bad, but not as easy as I’d hoped.
    So I got my Mac and … things still weren’t that easy. Well, it worked. Good enough.
    But then… Yup. Switched to Panther. Was all excited. So shiny! So pretty! Love my f9 key! It rules! But.
    Networking SUCKED!
    Now, in order to network my G4 Powerbook with my shiny new iMac, I have to… this hurts me… use Windows Filesharing. Because Apple File Sharing often brings both computers down if I try it. Or, simply doesn’t work.

    So, while I remain a Mac enthusiast, I must agree– Networking in Panther is… sincerely disappointing.
    I mean, how hard IS it???

  • http://www.parkcitygolfproperties.com rubbo

    I am sincerely glad to have someone on the same page as me to this whole transition to Panther. I usually wait to adopt new products, and being generally happy with Jaguar I ASSUMED that by annotating it as 10.3 it meant that it had IMPROVED Jaguar. No such luck, first I want to destroy Font Book, and networking is a real nightmare. Try getting Retrospect software to understand what the hell is going on with the operating system and you will understand why I no longer get my hair cut, but my HAIRS.

  • Call Me Deryl

    Ha ha ha!
    Not the first time Apple lied…why are you supprised?

  • http://www.lot23.com Jon

    I don’t get it. I use a Mac in a company of 1000 Windows folks and it works fine for me and the handful of the other Mac folks. Jaguar was sort of odd, but Panther’s a piece of cake.

    Hm.

  • Jonathan Dear

    Panther is 50% crap. File sharing doesn’t work across Macs. I’ve used Macs since 1986, and they never come right out and admit when things don’t work. There should be a huge banner page at apple.com stating, “Give up now if you’ve got System 9 machines”.