Apple has released their largest software update to date: the highly anticipated version 10.5.2 of Leopard. The update addresses a sprawling variety of issues, including general operating system fixes, stability issues, compatibility adjustments and security enhancements. In other words, it is–as MacDailyNews puts it–the “mother of all Mac OS X updates.”
Of particular note in this update are the enhancement to Stacks (which basically eliminates the need for several useful workarounds submitted here–including my own!), the vast list of Mail fixes, and the stability issues many have been questioning for months.
10.5.2 can be accessed via Software Update, as usual. For a complete list of what’s in the update (it’s a LONG one), you can visit MacDailyNews, or, of course, the Apple Site.
Note: According to MacDailyNews, once the update is installed, users will be expected to install a separate graphics driver update for Leopard.
February 12th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Beware, though! Users of Linotype’s FontExplorer won’t be able to use it and should quit it and remove it from their login items until Linotype comes out with an update. FontExplorer causes the dock to crash and renders PopChar unusable.
February 12th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
You should install the Graphics Update after installing the 10.5.2 Update. After installing the 10.5.2 Update and restarting choose Apple menu > Software Updates.
February 13th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Is anyone having issues with stacks in grid view? Its acting a lot less smoothly than before, but maybe that’s just the way Apple wanted it to be. Its especially noticeable when you have a very large grid and you open it in slow-mo (shift-click)
February 13th, 2008 at 4:30 am
Can’t say I’ve had problems with grid view–but I’ve honestly abandoned it for the more functional “list” view that’s been sorely missing from the dock/stacks. Have you downloaded the “leopard graphics update” mentioned in the initial posting?
February 13th, 2008 at 8:40 am
PDA131- I totally agree that the grid view stacks move A LOT less smoothly after the update. I have an “Applications” stack with 45 icons and when I open it, it is much less smooth and when I hold down the “shift” key and open it in slow-mo it is much more jumpy. Are lots of people having this problem?
February 13th, 2008 at 9:12 am
Desktop and Screensaver Preference now has button of Translucent Menu Bar. But if you’ve change the bar already via one of the several hacks here, it’s off for good.
Now, which hack did I use?
February 13th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Randy13151:
Terminal:
sudo defaults write /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.WindowServer ‘EnvironmentVariables’ -dict ‘CI_NO_BACKGROUND_IMAGE’ 0
and button appeared.
February 14th, 2008 at 4:10 am
When i download it it says “can’t verify package” can anyone help?
February 14th, 2008 at 4:37 am
Are you using software update? If so I’m not sure why that would happen. Anyone have any ideas for Superman?
February 14th, 2008 at 5:28 am
rockmsockm
Yeah, the grid view is still not smooth after the graphics update. But I have to disagree with you about the list view being more functional. Like macdude, I have an Applications stack that I display in grid view, and when I display it in list view, I have to scroll down in order to get to the bottom of the list of Applications. However, with grid view, every Application is showing and is much easier and faster to click than In list view. Nevertheless, I do agree with you in general, because if your stack is small enough that all the contents of the folder can be listed without needing to scroll up or down, then its much cleaner and useable than grid view.
February 14th, 2008 at 7:55 am
Fair enough, P, to each their own
I’m surprised you favor it over list, but perhaps that’s who Apple was thinking of when they developed it. I just found it counterintuitive (some items were hidden) — and I hated the fact that they eliminated contextual browsing from the dock! Needless to say, it made 10.5.2 worth the wait for me. lol
Either way, It’s good to see they listened to the countless complaints and actually made a change based on user demand. Companies like that are indeed rare!
February 14th, 2008 at 11:23 am
SUPERMAN: i had the same problem using software update. i had to go to the apple website and download the update there. the update package must be defective for some of us. once i went to the apple site and got the package there all was fine. hope it helps.
February 15th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
It is nice Apple listens to “feedback” from websites like this.
I’m actually a Mac newb, just got my first MacBook Pro (15″) for a work validation project. I’ve gotta say that unlike Windows, everything pretty much works with OS X 10.5.x Although I am curious if the Software Update application has any notification? It seems to be more on-demand from what I’ve seen.
-Rob
February 16th, 2008 at 1:01 am
mac os x leopard is totally awesome, i have been using for a week now it rocks, mac i feel you pls keep it up!
February 16th, 2008 at 2:40 am
The most important benefits to this update are those I can’t see, especially those relating to security and heightened compatibility with programs I don’t use.
Although this is just a nit, Apple has still failed to address the insane, quiet popping sound many users of MacBook Pro/10.5.x hear about every 20-30 seconds as they work — an identical bug to the one detected in 10.4.1 and remedied with a software update.
After initial installation of the update, my system ran up to 20% more slowly on most apps., but with continued use, my system has recovered its speed.
February 16th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
before downloading 10.5.2, no that several people are having problems with there their wireless after installing the update. Since installing I am not able to get online on a variety of different routers. I am not alone in this problem, check out the discussions relating to this on the apple site.
February 16th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
I used 10.5.2 for a few days and then went back to 10.5.1. Both of my iMac’s wouldn’t wake from sleep without doing a complete shutdown and restart first. It got kind of annoying so I restored 10.5.1 and haven’t had any problems. Sometimes Apple seems to rush updates towards the end without completely evaluating everything, 10.5.2 seems like it was rushed at the end.
February 16th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
No problems here on Intel Core Duo iMac. Actually, it’s kinda funny– many “critics” think Apple rushed the initial release of 10.5, and took too long/did NOT rush this update enough– Go figure!. lol… I haven’t had the “wake from sleep” issue, and Im crossing my fingers that I won’t!
February 19th, 2008 at 3:22 am
After I ran the update I lost pokerstars.net
February 22nd, 2008 at 12:45 am
After installing 10.5.2, my Finder didn’t fully load, so I spent hours on the phone with Apple trying to fix the problem, finally had to reinstall the original Leopard and ran into the same problem when I upgraded to 10.5.2. After hours of reloading, etc., I am still having weird problems (in Facebook’s Scrabulous the fonts are illegible, my Mail Preferences only show Rules, and Application fonts in Fusion no longer open automatically) now even though I am sticking with 10.5.1 until I’m SURE I won’t run into these problems again. I wish I had never “upgraded” it’s been such a disaster. I can’t believe no one else has run into this.
February 26th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Recently updated to 10.5.2 on my MacBook. Everything turns out fine initially, until my Photoshop CS3 crashes suddenly – and for a good number of times.
Never happens before, and have been using my CS2/CS3 on my six months old
MacBook with a breeze. But the worst is yet to come – now it also crashes
when I am using Mail (maybe once) & Illustrator CS3; although not as frequent.
Frustrating, especially when you don’t SAVE at regular intervals. Has anyone encounter such problem? Please help.
March 15th, 2008 at 2:49 am
Since I’m using Logic Pro 8 for recording music, I’ve been following the logic forums online. People there seem to have had major problems after updating. There are storys of the spinning beachball for five minutes when loading Logic, loss of performance etc.. People are very angry, calling this update a complete failure. Some people had no problems at all. it’s strange. The mere risk of having these problems makes me think it’s better to wait for the next update. I just wish apple would communicate more with the users, letting us know what’s going on, and perhaps give us some reassurance whether the issues are being solved, and WHEN.
March 31st, 2008 at 12:05 pm
I have had some crashes here lately, 3 today accutally which is what has me on here searching. I had Firefox crash 1st after an update so I didnt think anything of that, then photoshop crashed once, then mail crashed. I had this happen a few weeks ago and found I needed to update linotype font explorer but now its doing the same thing. I thought 5.10.2 was going to fix these bugs. I wonder if linotype is still the culprit. arg!!! Im not sure if I like Leopard.