[joetaxpayer2001]

on the newsstand now.
Excellect content, full of tricks/ tips/ etc.
Issue has a DVD which I need to return, it was defective, but the magazine itself was worth the $10.
JOE

[Jason Snell]

Thanks! Sorry to hear about the bad DVD.
I think "Total Panther" is really great. Even loyal MW subscribers might be interested in it, because we've taken a bunch of our great old articles about Jaguar and updated them to be Panther-specific, plus added a bunch o' new stuff. There's even a David Pogue column on the backpage!
Thanks again, joe.

[d00d]

Wait, it doesn't come as part of a normal subscription?

[Jason Snell]

No, this is one of those extra issues we do beyond the regular 12 monthly issues. (It's the fourth one we've done in the last two and a half years: Total OS X, Buyer's Guide, Digital Hub, and Total Panther.) Subscribers only pay for the 12 regular issues, while these issues are designed to go only to the newsstand (we print fewer copies, for one thing) -- it's basically the only way they can exist. You can probably search the archives and find this same conversation for each of the last three special issues! /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
http://www.macworld.com/panther/ has ordering info

[joetaxpayer2001]

Just a quick update;
Swapped for new issue/DVD at bookstore.
Initial video (Chris Breen intro) works fine, but then no other videos load right. I get broken film icon.
I am running a fresh, updated copy of Panther, FWIW.
As mentioned, the magazine and the rest of the disc were still well worth it.
These 'special' issues really are worth the money and trip to the bookstore....
JOE

[d00d]

Guess I'll just go buy it. I'm dying for an article by Pogue!

[Jason Snell]

Joe, send a note to customer_service at macworld dot com...

[jvputten]

Well, I guess I'll voice a dissenting opinion regarding the Total Panther Special Issue.
I was extremely disappointed with this issue. I feel like I got ripped off, and I wish I could get a refund of my 10 bucks.
As a Mac 'power user,' I found NONE of the content in this special issue to be of any use, despite all the advertising hype. In an attempt to be 'all things to all users,' I believe that this issue and the accompanying DVD falls far short. The issue includes such pearls of wisdom as "Before you can enjoy the benefits of Panther, you'll need to install it." (p. 18).
One article, 'OS X Essentials,' is nothing more than a revised version of the owner's guide that comes with the software, and includes basic information such as 'Introducing the Dock.' How is that specific to Panther after following the upgrade path from 10.0 through 10.2? While I'm sure that the articles on 'switching from Windows to OS X' and 'making the transition from OS 9 to OS X' are useful to a number of readers, I'm unsure why they have also been included in a Panther-specific publication. All three of these articles are more relevant for a general guide to OS X for new users.
I was especially disappointed by the inclusion of 11 pages (including a healthy amount of advertising copy) of brief product reviews that have appeared in previous issues of MacWorld magazine. So not only did I get recycled content, but I had to pay 10 bucks for the same content that is available free on the MacWorld website and for similar content that is available at VersionTracker.com and several other Mac-related websites.
The accompanying DVD reminded me of the useless cup coasters disguised as CDs that are included with issues of MacAddict magazine. As the Read Me text says, the DVD "is filled with more than 4GB of tryouts, videos, shareware..." As a result, what I actually received was merely a variety of freeware, demos, and shareware that was organized on a disc for me, but readily available elsewhere on the Internet.
In summary, I think that the Panther Special Issue is a glossy piece with lots of pretty pictures, but ultimately misses the mark badly. Feel free to PayPal that refund to me at <jvputten>.

[Jason Snell]

I know people at Apple who have bought copies of Total Panther and keep it with them wherever they go... but you can't please everyone.

In reply to:

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One article, 'OS X Essentials,' is nothing more than a revised version of the owner's guide that comes with the software and includes basic information such as 'Introducing the Dock.' How is that specific to Panther after following the upgrade path from 10.0 through 10.2?

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It's not, but Total Panther is also for people switching from OS 9 to OS X, and for people switching from Windows to OS X. It's not just for you, in other words.

In reply to:

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I was especially disappointed by the inclusion of 11 pages (including a healthy amount of advertising copy) of brief product reviews that have appeared in previous issues of MacWorld magazine.

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When we've done such things in past special issues, the feedback we've gotten has been almost universally positive. People seem to like being able to have a guide to lots and lots of OS X products in one place, rather than scattered throughout many issues of Macworld -- and people who don't subscribe or buy every issue of Macworld find it doubly useful, because they've missed some of those reviews.
As for ad copy, you don't know what you're talking about. Editorial is editorial. (We also didn't just revise the owner's manual, but so long as you're claiming that we're just re-running ad copy, why not claim we're plagiarizing Apple's manual too?)

In reply to:

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So not only did I get recycled content, but I had to pay 10 bucks for the same content that is available free on the MacWorld website and for similar content that is available at VersionTracker.com and several other Mac-related websites.

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I don't think you will find any Macworld reviews and mouse-ratings anywhere but at Macworld.com. If VersionTracker and other websites have posted our editorial reviews, let me know so I can send out a cease-and-desist letter.
Sorry you didn't like the issue. Next time, though, please try to limit your criticism to real complaints and not fabrications and misguided assumptions.

[Jason Snell]

That said, jvputten, if you would like your money back, drop your Total Panther issue and DVD in the mail to: Jason Snell, Editor in Chief, Macworld, 501 Second Street, San Francisco, CA, 94107 and I will personally refund your 10 bucks.
-jason

[Dan Frakes]

In reply to:

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The issue includes such pearls of wisdom as "Before you can enjoy the benefits of Panther, you'll need to install it." (p. 18).

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As the author of that "pearl of wisdom," I think it's fair to point out that the article in question was specifically about installing Panther, so the sentence isn't exactly as inane as it sounds out of context /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif In fact, the sentence you quoted comprised 13 words (and that's if you count the small ones) out of a two-page spread on performing an Archive and Install.
Did you actually find the article itself to be lacking in some way? If so, feel free to email me with what you'd like to see, as I'm always open to constructive comments. But I'm a bit confused by your assertion that the first sentence in a particular article -- an article that has proven to be enourmously popular among both beginning and advanced users -- is indicative of how the issue as a whole "falls short."
As Jason said, Total Panther provides a good deal of content for a wide range of readers, but it won't be perfect for everyone.

[macfan5]

Greetings all,
I recently purchased the Total Panther special issue. Issue is very good, but.....
When I tried to install a one of the games from the included DVD I got the following message:
"Sorry. Expander requires Stuffit Engine 8.0.0 or later. Please reinstall from original installer."
I have Stuffit Standard 8.0. What do I need to do here? /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Thanks.
Have a nice day.
Steve