Copyright 2006 Claire J Rottenberg
Revised May 2008

If you are still using Mac OS X 10.4 and you haven't updated to 10.4.11, there are noticeable new features in 10.4.11, and, in this short article, I'll try to convince you of the benefits of updating.

The first thing you might notice about the last update to Mac OS X 10.4 is the quicker startup and generally better performance. Of course, the speed of the operating system will differ according to each person's computer hardware, but the 10.4.11 update was noticeably faster even on my relatively slow (1.25 GHz), minimum RAM (512 MB) PPC Mac Mini.

Probably the best enhancement in Mac OS X 10.4.11 is the new mouse scroll wheel zooming. Mac OS X has always had special features for visually impaired users, but the zoom function was never easy to implement in all programs. This is no longer the case - zooming is now as simple as pressing a key and rolling the scroll wheel on your mouse. Once you've turned on the zoom feature and defined a function key to use (the Control key is the default setting), just press the key and scroll away. You can even define when and how the screen image should move when zooming.

If quicker performance and the zoom feature aren't enough to convince you to update, keep in mind that updating also gives you security and bug fixes. It's always a good idea to keep your system operating as securely as possible and Mac OS X 10.4.11, like most updates, plugs some potential security holes in the operating system.

Disclaimer: All trademarks and products mentioned in this article are assumed to be the property of their owners and no infringement of rights is intended through mention of the products in this article.

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