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As the countdown continues for Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) uncaging next week of the new version of its OS X operating system, code named Tiger, compatibility appears to be a mixed bag for developers.
Some developers see a smooth transition for their products, while others will still be tweaking their wares after the launch of the new OS 10.4.
Among those still needing to work out compatibility issues are major players like Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Inc. and Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC).
Quark Ready To Roll
"Quark Express 6.5 [the newest version] actually is already running on Tiger perfectly," Jennifer Churchill, a spokesperson for the Denver, Colo.-based maker of the popular publishing software package, told MacNewsWorld. "And we expect it will be the same for future Quark products."
Asked if Quark experienced any glitches that had to be addressed so it could operate with the new release of OS X, Churchill responded, "We really didn't experience any, to be honest."
David Wray, president of Mariner Software in Minneapolis, Minn., a maker of office applications for Macintosh computers, also expects a wrinkle-free transition to the new version of Apple's operating system. "We have forward compatibility with Tiger," he told MacNewsWorld. "We're obviously Apple developers so we've been keeping an eye on the progress of Tiger."
He noted that new versions of the company's Mariner Write and Mariner Calc products were released last week, and an upgrade of MacJournal will be coming out at the end of this month.
"All of them have some slight architecture changes that have kept us up to speed with the new Tiger release, but we do not need to do any minor or major patches," he said.
Adobe Compatibility
When asked about the compatibility of its products with OS X 10.4, Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) Systems, of San Jose, Calif., issued the following statement via e-mail to MacNewsWorld.
"We've been working closely with Apple to ensure that Adobe products, including our just-announced Adobe Creative Suite 2, remain compatible with Apple's latest operating system, Mac OS X 'Tiger.'
"We believe 'Tiger' looks like a strong release.
"We look forward to exploring the ways that Mac OS X 'Tiger' can showcase Adobe's continued innovation on the Mac."
Symantec Corp., of Cupertino, Calif., is working on "solutions to ensure compatibility" with Tiger, but it doesn't expect those solutions to be finalized before the April 29 launch date for the OS, according to spokesperson J. P. Schuerman.
"We'll be launching revised solutions in the near term," he told MacNewsWorld. "You'll see the first solution coming out within a few weeks of Tiger launching."
"There are some compatibility issues," he added, but he declined to comment on specifics.
Microsoft Identifying Issues
Last week, Microsoft released a statement on the compatibility of its Mac products and Tiger. It said that it has worked closely with Apple to make sure Office 2004 for Mac, Microsoft's productivity suite, works with Tiger.
The company added that it is also collaborating with Apple to identify "potential issues" with its Virtual PC product, which allows Windows programs to run on a Mac. Any issues with the program will be addressed in a free update to be released within the next two to three months, the statement said.
According to Tim Deal, a senior analyst with Technology Business Research in Hampton, N.H., Apple makes efforts to minimize compatibility problems between operating system upgrades.
"It provides developers with a comprehensive set of tools that enables them to better create applications for each specific release of its operating system," he told MacNewsWorld.
"Apple ditched Mac conferences in lieu of now doing major releases at the Worldwide Developer Conference in order to boost its relationship with developers," he said.
"An operating system's only going to be as valuable as the number of powerful applications that are designed for it," he continued. "It's always been Apple's strategy to lure good, robust applications developers to the platform."
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