Mac OS X version 10.5 “Leopard” is the sixth version of Mac OS X Apple company issued inc. Leopard was released on October 26, 2007 as the successor of the previous versions of Mac OS X v10.4 “Tiger”, and is available in two types namely, the desktop version suitable for personal computers, and the server version, Mac OS X Server. Steve Jobs said at Macworld 2008 that more than 20% of Mac users use Leopard as their operating system.
Leopard includes more than 300 changes and enhancements from previous versions, Mac OS X v10.4 “Tiger”. Among the changes to the Dock, stacks, transparent menu bar, and an updated Finder that incorporates graphic visual navigation when first seen in iTunes. Another important feature that is, applications support 64-bit based, automated backup utility called Time Machine, Spotlight to search (search), and the inclusion of Front Row and Photo Booth, which previously only included with some Mac models.
FEATURES – FEATURES
Here are some interesting features in the Leopard operating system is:
- AUTOMATOR is an application developed by Apple for Mac OS X that uses point-and-click (or drag-and-drop) to create pengotomatisasian tasks performed repeatedly. Automator enables the repetition of tasks in various programs, including the Finder, Safari web browser, iCal, Address Book and other records by sega; a user activity. Automator can also work with applications such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop or Pixelmator.
- BACK TO MY MAC is a feature for MobileMe users that allows users to access files on their home computer while away from home via the internet.
- BOOT CAMP is assitant software that allows to install other operating systems, like Windows XP (SP2 or later) or Windows Vista, on a separate partition on Intel-based Macs.
- Dashboard is a feature that displays Web pages contained in Safari (Internet software) into a live Dashboard widget.
- DESKTOP 3-D dock with a new grouping feature called Stack.
- FRONT ROW is made the same application like Apple TV to do all activities like seeing the video, hear iTunes, internetan, etc.. This is similar to Windows Media Center.
- ICAL is a personal calendar application provided on mac os x leopard is a able to syncrhonized by mail. ICal icons display the current date even when the application is not running.
- iChat is an application like yahoo messenger which is owned by the leopard. Instant messaging software by Apple Inc. for Mac OS X operating system is equipped with audio, video and screen sharing and text messages.
- MAIL is an e-mail program that included Apple Inc. ‘s Mac OS X operating system. Mail uses SMTP, POP3, and IMAP protocols, and supports Yahoo! Mail, AOL Mail, Gmail, MobileMe and Exchange via IMAP. IPhone OS feature a mobile version of Apple Mail with additional support for ActiveSync. Starting with the version shipped with Mac OS X v10.6, Mail has the full support of Microsoft Exchange Server.
- Parental Control is an application to help protect their children when using the device and service. One of them is, to control the content viewed on the child devices connected to the Internet.
- Photo Booth is a small software application created by Apple Inc. for Mac OS X to take photos and video with iSight camera or other webcams. There is also a feature to edit them.
- Preview is Mac OS X’s application for displaying images and Portable Document Format (PDF) documents.
- QUICK LOOK is a feature to make it easier to see images, documents, hear mp3, video, etc. without opening it with an application. There are also plug-in Quick Look to see the other files.
- SAFARI is a browser built from Mac Os X.
- SPACE is a virtual desktop implementation that allows to use two or more desktops per user, with certain applications and windows on every desktop. Users can set a certain space for certain applications (eg, one for the tasks associated with work and one for entertainment) and switch between them. Exposé works in Spaces, allowing the user to see at a glance all the desktop screen. Users can create and control up to 16 spaces, and applications that can be switched between each other, creating a very big job.
- SPOTLIGHT is the search feature-based search system that allows users to quickly find items on the computer, including documents, images, music, applications, System Preferences, and the words in the document and specific web pages within a web browser history or bookmarks. It also allows users to narrow your search by creation date, modification date, size, type and other attributes.
- TIME MACHINE is an application to create incremental backups of files that can be restored at a later date. This allows users to restore the whole system, some files, or even a single file. Time machine can run in iWork, iLife, and several other compatible programs, allowing to restore individual objects (eg: photos, contacts, calendar events) without leaving the application.
- UNIVERSAL ACCESS is a component of Mac OS X that provides computing capability for the physically blind, deaf, and disabled.
- Supported by 18 international languages.
ADDITIONAL SECURITY
New-show security internal defense better reply from attack than previous versions.
Library randomization.
Leopard Library implements randomization, to find the location of some libraries in memory. The vulnerability of the corrupt program memory is often dependent on the address known as Libraries routines, which allows code to run the process entered or changed files. Library randomization is a better stepping stone in an empty address randomization.
Application Layer Firewall.
Leopard firewall has two engines: the original BSD IPFW, which is present in previous releases Mac OS X, and the new Leopard Firewall Application Layer. Unlike IPFW, which capture and filter the IP datagrams before the kernel important process, the Application Layer Firewalls operate at socket layer, bound to the individual. Application Layer Firewalls can also make filtering decisions on per-application basis. From the two-engine firewall, Application Layer Firewall only fully emerged in the Leopard user interface. This new firewall offers less control over decisions of individual packets, which means the user can decide to allow or deny connections or a system of individual applications, but must use IPFW to set fine-grained TCP / IP as a policy. It also makes several policy exceptions to the system: either mDNSResponder or programs that run with superuser privileges in the selection.
Sandboxes
Leopard includes the kernel-level support for Role Based Access Control (RBAC). RBAC is intended to prevent, for example, applications such as Mail from editing the database password.
Application Signing
Leopard provides a framework for using the Public Key Signature for Code Signing to verify that the code has not changed. Signatures can also be used to ensure that the program actually in the “update”, and provide special security privileges when changing to the new version. This will reduce the number of security prompts the user, and possibly users accustomed to simply clicking “OK” to anything.
Secure Guest Account
Guests are given access to the Leopard system with that account will be deleted and the system reset at logout.
Security features in Leopard is considered weak and ineffective. Publisher Heise Security notes that the Leopard installer reduce firewall protection and open to attack when the firewall is activated again. Some researchers noted that the Library Randomize feature added to Leopard is not effective compared to other platforms, and that “the Security Guest Account” can be utilized by the Guest to maintain access to the Leopard system even after the log out.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Leopard operating system can run with the specification requirements, provided that any Machintos computer equipped with Intel or PowerPC processor (PPC) G5 or G4 minimum required 867 MHz and memory capacity (RAM) 512 MB minimum. While Leopard Server can operate on computers with memory (RAM) 1 GHz with a minimum capacity of at least 20 GB hard drive.
SUPPORTED MACHINE
Leopard can run on the iMac G4, iMac G5 first, second, the iMac G5 (with ambient light sensor), all three iMac G5 (with iSight), iMac Intel Core Duo and (now) iMac Intel Core 2 Duo, PowerBook G4, Power Mac G4 , Power Mac G5, iBook G4, MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Pro, Mac Mini, Xserve, Xserve G5, Xserve RAID, Macintosh Server G4, and eMac.
Leopard can run on old hardware as long as they have an upgraded G4 867mhz or faster, has at least 9 GB of free hard drive space, 512 MB of RAM and a DVD drive. But Leopard will not run on the 900MHz iBook G3 models even though they meet the minimum system requirements 867Mhz. This is caused by a lack of AltiVec in a G3 processor and the fact that most early pre-G4 and G4 systems do not have video hardware that can support Core Image, which are two important technologies in Leopard. However, still be able to run Leopard on G3 machines and pre 867mhz G4, but the system may behave erratically and a lot of programs, features and functions may not work properly or not working at all.
Leopard can also run on a PowerPC G4 CPU using a computer with a lower speed than 867 MHz system requirenment. But to run Leopard on this machine different from the machine as above supported. One common way to do it is to use LeopardAssist application, which is a bootloader like XPostFacto (which is used to install the previous release of Mac OS X Power PC G3 is not supported and pre-G3 Macs) that uses the Open Firmware Leopard Mac to notify that the 867 MHz CPU machine meets the minimum requirements for the installation which will be checked before being allowed to begin the installation. That way the installation will keep running despite a slower CPU. Currently, LeopardAssist only G4 machine running at a slower and a lot of people who successfully installed Leopard on the old machine. The same results can also be done by changing the script in a file line Distribution.dist the Leopard installation DVD and burning new copy on DVD with the updated files to stop the processor clock speed in check, which appears when the script in this file is run before Leopard is installed.
