Last week I began detailing some of the features scheduled to be in the next major revision to the Mac operating system, version 10.5, nicknamed “Leopard”. We discussed 64-bit computing, and learned that there’s more to it than just a screaming 64-bit processor. You also need an operating system that can handle those 64 lanes of data going into and out of the processor. And, since the transition to 64-bit computing won’t happen overnight, you need an operating system that can run those “old” 32-bit applications (like basically everything out there right now) alongside the new 64-bit applications, without having to emulate or translate the 32-bit applications “on the fly”.

Leopard will do just that. So, with a new PowerMac, or probably an iMac coming down the road with a slightly less powerful 64-bit processor, you’ll be able to balance your checkbook with 32-bit Quicken, then launch a sure-to-come 64-bit version of iMovie and cut through high-definition video editing like butter. Unlike some other computer companies, expect Apple to quickly introduce 64-bit capable versions of their signature photo, video, and audio applications, both at the pro and consumer levels.

Let’s move on to our next Leopard feature, called “Time Machine”. Most people don’t back up their important data frequently enough. Ask people who don’t back up frequently, and the number one reason for their recalcitrance will be “It’s too inconvenient. I have to decide what to back up, when to back it up, what to back it up on”.

Time Machine is designed to take the hassle out of backing up. Here’s how it works. The first time you attach an external drive to a Mac running Leopard, Time Machine asks you if you want to back up your Mac to that drive. You can choose to back up your entire Mac at that time (which will take an external drive with LOTS of space, but, hey, they’re pretty cheap these days) or you could choose, say, to only back up your photos, movies, music, email, addresses, bookmarks, accounts, Quicken data files, Documents folder, etc. You can, of course, schedule backups whenever you wish, and since Time Machine does its work “in the background”, you can even backup during the day as you’re working.

When Time Machine backs up your files, it only spends time backing up files that have changed since the last time it backed up, saving time and disk space.

Let’s look at Time Machine in action. Let’s say you gave an important presentation last month, and had saved the Keynote data file in your Documents folder. Since then, somehow (the dog ate it, I swear) you’ve accidentally deleted the Keynote file, and the boss wants you to give the presentation again tomorrow to the Board of Directors. No problem! You simply open the Documents folder, open Time Machine, and scroll back in time through past backups of the Documents folder till you come upon the folder containing the Keynote file. Simply click the Restore button, and Time Machine places the missing Keynote file back into your present-day Documents folder. The boss is happy.

Say you’ve deleted an important contact in your Address Book. Just type in some of the contact’s name in the search field in Address Book, open Time Machine, and Time Machine goes back, finds that person’s record, and restores it in your Address Book.

Lost all your vacation photos in iPhoto? Within iPhoto, just take a quick trip with Time Machine back to when the photos were there, and click Restore.

As they say, time is on your side with Leopard and Time Machine.

© 2006 Peter F. Zimowski