Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.2 – which reportedly will include a number of new features, bug fixes and several highly critical security patches that would keep a user’s system from literally blowing up in their face – has been held pending completion of one item. In order to make 10.4.2 be all it can be, Apple is hell-bent on including a widget manager which, if sources can believed, will actually manage your widgets.
“Apple has done it again,” said Think Secret’s Ryan Katz. “Most users were simply satisfied to have widgets. But now to have a system that will manage your widgets…
“Unbelievable. I doff my cap to them. Kudos to you, Apple!”
Mac user Clay Weast, whose system burst into flames earlier today when a small security hole in his installation of Tiger that will be fixed in 10.4.2 was exploited by Helsinki-based hackers, tried to be enthusiastic.
“Oh,” Weast said, idly stroking the sides of his now charcoaled dual 2.7 GHz Power Mac G5. “A widget manager. I’m sure that will be nice. To… manage my widgets… and whatnot.”
At Children’s Hospital in Seattle, 8-year-old Billy Rodgers who was waiting for an experimental laser brain surgery driven by a Power Mac running Tiger was understanding of Apple’s decision.
“Dr. Samar says we need a computer update to fix my head,” little Billy said, pointing at his head, which was shaved with a big red X drawn on it.
“Because of a bug in 10.4.1, we need an OS update to fix Billy’s head,” Dr. Jhala Samar said.
“Because of a bug,” Billy emphasized, “They can’t fix my head. But I know people really want to run their widget thing.”
Dr. Samar lightly patted Billy on the head and smiled sadly.
Apple said that it expects to ship 10.4.2 sometime before Billy dies, but after it completes its widget manager.