Apple Unveils Impressive New OS, 64-Bit Hardware

Apple Unveils Impressive New OS, 64-Bit Hardware: "On Monday, Apple unveiled its upcoming Mac OS X 'Panther' operating system and the 64-bit PowerPC G5 systems on which it will run, ushering in what will no doubt be a new era of debates over the relative merits of PCs and Macintoshes. Apple's new designs are quite impressive: It's Panther OS, due in late 2003, offers features Windows users already enjoy, such as Fast User Switching and file encryption, while the PowerPC G5, based on IBM's 64-bit POWER4 server architecture and due in August, finally gives the company a system that can, in some ways, compete again with the fastest PCs. After offering paltry performance improvements for the past two years or so, Apple's move to the G5 processor gives the company a competitive product for creative professionals, scientists, and video editors."

BTW here's an overview of the 64-bit versions of Windows, including Windows XP 64-bit, which has been on the market for two years. Fascinating that Jobs can still leverage his "reality distortion field" on demand...