[X4U] Re: Leopard, one more problem

[Jon Warms]

I have long-term credentials as an Apple fanboy. Like Paul, who I've  
seen on various Mac boards for many years, I use x4u as a lurker to  
learn techniques and solutions, and as a poster when I need help or  
can offer solutions. But I have been good. I've just lived with many  
of the Leopard minor annoyances. Because while these annoyances have  
caused unanticipated changes in the details of the way I use my  
computer, they are surely out-weighed by the equally numerous benefits  
of Leopard.

Two of Leopard's features are really useful for me. The improvements  
to iChat is the first one. My grandchildren love all the effects, and  
- frankly - so do I. The three-way video chats work great.
The remote desktop has been very, very useful. The best thing about  
all this is that iChat is incredibly easy to setup and to use. Quick  
Look is the second Leopard feature. I can't understand how it can so  
quickly start a movie viewer or play a song, but it works, and it  
really is a time-saver.

But there have been bumps along the road:
1. Open dialog boxes open with the focus in the sidebar, so typing the  
first letters of a filename is an exercise in futility without first  
using a mouse.
2. Save and Open dialog boxes don't remember the file listing sequence  
(date or name).
3. New windows open with the focus somewhere that always requires an  
extra click.
4. In my home network, I can only mount users, not drive root levels.  
Tiger would let me mount the server's hard drive; Leopard will only  
mount the username.
5. Browser behavior has changed, requiring using an alternate Verizon  
DNS to fix.
6. Leopard has broken my Microsoft keyboard; specifically, the numeric  
keypad no longer works. The keyboard is a good one, and it's served me  
well for several years. I'll just have to become a better touch-typist  
with numbers. This is probably related to my next item.
7. Leopard has sickened the numeric overlay pad on my MacBook. The num- 
lock key and the pad no longer work in Excel 2004. Maybe this will be  
fixed in the new Excel, but others have noted that the overlay numbers  
aren't on new MBs.

These are minor nits, and as the day progresses I'll encounter more  
glitches; I can live with them but I'm really waiting eagerly for  
10.5.2.