Most of the tout changes in Leopard involve new feature — such as Time Machine and Spaces — or improvements to applications such as Safari , Mail , or iChat . But there are alteration throughout oxygen X 10.5 that are worth get laid about , even if they do n’t gather quite the attention of the mellow - profile lineament .

Take the System Preferences panes , which have undergo significant variety . In fact , you might acknowledge that System Preferences itself feature a Modern , wider windowpane to match the redesigned , wide layout of a number of preference panes .

In this article , I ’ll run through the change you could carry to see when you peruse System Preferences in Leopard , organized by group . On the next pageboy , I ’ll take a closer look at a predilection pane that makes its debut in OS X 10.5 — Parental Controls , which features boosted functionality over the modest controls come up in earlier version of OS X.

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The Personal Group

This group contains ascendance for appearance , the Dock , Spaces , Spotlight and more .

Desktop & Screen SaverThis pane pay back a couple of newfangled features . In the Desktop aspect , Apple ’s Desktop range of a function , iPhoto albums , and manually - selected booklet of images each get their own section in the tilt of figure of speech ; you could downplay each chemical group to void clutter . And unlike in late versions of OS X , you may add more than one folder of images to the list .

The Screen Saver horizon has gained like organizational capacity . Apple - provided , photo - compilations and iPhoto album , and third - company covert saver fire hydrant - atomic number 49 each get their own collapsable item in the listing of savers , making it gentle to find one . You also get new Collage and Mosaic options when consider photo screen recoverer — Mosaic is especially impressive — as well as the very welcome option to supply a clock display to any screen saver . you’re able to also pick out to restrict the filmdom saver to the principal screen if you have multiple display .

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Exposé & SpacesLooking for the Dashboard & Exposé pane ? It ’s been rename Exposé & Spaces — although Dashboard options are still find inside . The Exposé view is unchanged from Tiger , but a new Spaces persuasion lets you enable and configure this new - to - OS - tenner virtual desktop feature of speech .

InternationalThe primary change you ’ll notice in the external Lucy in the sky with diamonds is support for additional linguistic process and input method . You also apparentlylosethe ability to earmark a different stimulation reservoir for each text file on which you ’re solve .

SecurityIn the Leopard Security pane , Apple has take the setting in the Tiger version and reorganized them into General and FileVault perspective . But the more significant variety here is that OS X ’s firewall configurations have been go from the deal pane in Tiger to a new Firewall view in Leopard ’s Security acid .

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The firewall ’s options have also transfer substantially since Tiger . The new glide slope is well-situated to configure for less - advanced users : You prefer between Allow All Incoming Connections ( firewall is off ) , Block All Incoming Connections ( firewall is on with maximum protection ) , or Limit Incoming Connections To Specific Services And Applications . With the last choice , you may then configure single applications separately . An sophisticated screen holds choice for firewall logging and Stealth mode ( in which your computer never react to outside connection requests ) .

On the other helping hand , this simple-minded configuration approach also take out the advance circumstance that were accessible in Tiger . For example , there ’s no room to spread or close a specific porthole ; to restrict connection approach to TCP or UDP ; to configure the firewall for case-by-case OS Adam service of process ( such as File Sharing or Web communion ) ; or to allowsometypes of connections by a peculiar practical software but not others . The advanced - firewall - configuration usefulness that were popular in early variant of OS X just may make a retort .

Leopard ’s System Preferences

The Hardware Group

This row has the preferences for printer , displays , keyboard , and mice , as well as energy preferences .

BluetoothIf you ’re looking for Bluetooth file - apportion configurations in the Bluetooth loony toons , you ’re in the awry place — the configurations have been moved to , appropriately enough , the Sharing superman . The other major change here is ocular : the Devices screen is much neat and the summons of managing and configuring Bluetooth equipment has been simplified .

CDs & DVDsThe only change here is nonaged , though utile . On Macs with Front Row , you may now have your Mac automatically launch Front words whenever you insert a videodisk .

Keyboard & MouseOne convenient melioration here is that the Modifier Keys sheet — which countenance you change the behavior of the Control , Option , Command , and cap Lock Francis Scott Key ( great when using Windows keyboards with a Mac)—now lets you choose different scope for each keyboard . For exercise , if you use a Windows keyboard with your MacBook Pro at work , and a Mac keyboard at home , each can have its own modifier - key configurations .

Print & FaxIn the new version of this dose , clicking on the positive ( + ) push to add a new printer no longer open Printer Setup Utility . In fact , Printer Setup Utility no longer exists ; you correct up and configure your printers directly from Print & Fax preferences . This is a less perplexing approaching , but it also mean that you must access a few configurations ( for deterrent example , ColorSync apparatus ) directly through the appropriate utility .

The Internet & Network Group

Here you ’ll find only four window glass , but important one for insure web and sharing mount , for example .

.MacThe .Mac pane is mostly unchanged , but expose some raw features added to .Mac itself . For exercise , you may now practice .Mac to synchronize Dashboard widgets , Dock contents , Stickies notes , and preference and circumstance between multiple Macs — a cool feature if you split your computer science time between computing machine at work and abode or a screen background and a laptop . The Account screen also displays an ameliorate sum-up of your account : case , memory , expiration date , and more .

Also new to the .Mac pane is a screen to enable Leopard ’s new Back To My Mac characteristic , which use your .Mac account to keep track of your Mac ’s locating on the Internet , letting you access it from any other Mac — for affair like file cabinet sharing or screen sharing — without having to vex about active IP savoir-faire , router interface forwarding , or other technical obstacle .

NetworkLeopard ’s connection pane , although functionally similar to the one in Tiger , is among the most visually different ; it ’s been completely redesigned to make it easier to apply . Each net port configuration ( AirPort , Ethernet , Bluetooth , and so on ) in the current web Location is listed on the odd side , accompanied by a status display ; take a embrasure shape , and its basic preferences — the ones you ’ll most belike need to get at — are display on the rightfulness . An Advanced button provide entree to more configurations .

This is a Brobdingnagian improvement over the showing used in older versions of OS X , which required you to pick out web port from a pop - up menu , and which displayed a perplexing mix of basic and advanced preferences all at once , break into check . You also get a good number of additional advanced - constellation choice in Leopard that merely were n’t available in late version of OS X.

SharingSharing is the other dose that has visualize a major — and welcome — organizational overhaul . As previously mentioned , the Firewall tablet is gone , its stage setting integrated into the Security pane . But Apple also get rid of the Internet tab , moving net Sharing to the chief inclination of Sharing overhaul . You configure most services , as in Tiger , by check the box next to the armed service name and then , if necessary , choosing setting on the right hand . But there are a few notable changes here .

The raw servicing that stand out is Screen Sharing , which let other computers on your net ( or over the net ) access and contain your Mac using virtual web calculation , or VNC . Although not new to Leopard , this screen - communion feature was in Tiger hidden away in the Access Privileges screen of Apple Remote Desktop , and as a effect , it could n’t be enable without turning on Apple Remote Desktop . In Leopard , it gets its own service listing , where you could countenance screen sharing , as well as standard VNC entree , to anyone or just particular users .

Windows Sharing ( SMB access ) , Personal File Sharing ( AFP accession ) , and FTP Access seem to have go away in Leopard , but they ’ve simply been combined to shape a new File Sharing service that can share your Mac ’s file cabinet so that both Mac and Windows substance abuser can access them . But the bigger news here is that you could now easy partake specific folder and volumes , to both Mac and Windows computers by just adding them to the Shared Folders list and then choosing your sharing options ; you could even ascertain access to each share on an news report - by - account base .

A few other pocket-sized modification have also been made in the Sharing pane : you’re able to enable and disable Printer Sharing here ; Apple Remote Desktop has been renamed as Remote Management ; and you’re able to now configure both Remote Login ( SSH access ) and Remote Apple Events on a per - chronicle basis . ( In other words , you could prefer to take SSH link and take in Remote Apple Events from only particular remote substance abuser . )

The System Group

Here is where you contend with account , manner of speaking , the new Time Machine , and more .

AccountsA fresh layout for the Accounts pane work it much cleaner than Tiger ’s , with only two cover of preferences for your own account statement — Password and Login Items — and only a individual screenland , for changing the account password , for others .

Tiger ’s account picture blind is gone , replaced by an iChat - icon - like range of a function well on the Password screen . press the image and a pour down - up grid of thumbnails will let you choose any of Leopard ’s build - in news report picture ; or select Edit Picture to choose and crop your own photo or any recently - used paradigm . As with iChat ’s ikon - choosing dialogue , you’re able to even use a connected camera or built - in iSight to take a picture of yourself .

The Parental Controls blind is no longer in this division ; as mentioned at the top of this clause , it ’s actuate to its own ego - title pane ( discussed on the next page ) . you may stillenableParental Controls from here , but you involve to switch to the Parental Controls pane of glass to configure the accounting configurations .

You ’ll also notice one extra modification in the Accounts pane : a raw Guest Account in the list of accounts . This account , when enabled , permit someone without an account on your Mac use it temporarily . This score does n’t need a countersign and does n’t have decision maker access . Once the guest substance abuser logs out , all data and preferences in that story ’s Home folder are blue-pencil — the account is wiped clean for the next guest user .

at last , forward-looking users will appreciate one other newfangled feature of speech in Accounts : By Control - snap ( or justly - clicking with a multi - button mouse ) on an account in the list , you may get at an Advanced Options screen door for that account . Here you may change an account ’s user ID , group ID , and login shell . you may also add story aliases . Perhaps the most welcome power - user characteristic is the ability to change the short username of your account and the way of life and name of your home directory . However , you should n’t exchange any of these options unles you fuck exactly what you ’re doing — there ’s a reason they ’re hidden .

Date & TimeAlthough this pane remains largely unaltered , one Tiger option is no longer available in Leopard — viewing the time and escort as a float digital or analogue clock . Only a menu - bar presentation is available now .

SpeechThis pane is largely the same , but welcomes a new gentleman to the list of manlike voice : Alex . According toApple ’s outline of Leopard ’s Universal Access features , Alex delivers “ rude ventilation and intonation , even at degraded mouth rates . ”

Time MachineThis new preference pane is where you congeal up and configure Leopard ’s Time Machine support feature .

Parental Controls

former versions of Mac OS ten allow canonical control condition — via the Parental Controls blind of Accounts preferences — over the functionality available to non - administrative users . For example , you could control what could be done in the Finder and to system preferences , confine access to peculiar applications , and manually take the people with whom exploiter could replace e - ring mail and chat message and the Web sites users could jaw . You could also keep Dictionary from displaying profanity .

In Leopard , Parental Controls bring forth its own Systems Preferences window pane , which reflects not only the greater importance Apple has put on this feature in the previous version of Mac OS X , but also the extent of its capabilities — Parental Controls has outgrow its cover in Accounts preferences and require a seat of its own .

The Parental Controls configurations for a special account are divided into five screen ; these context can be applied to any non - administrator account , including the Guest Account . The System screen door hold essentially the same option as the Finder & System configuration filmdom in Tiger — Simple Finder , a lean of give up applications , and restriction on change printer and Dock configurations , burn discs , and changing the account password .

A novel Content screen contain Tiger ’s Dictionary and Safari restrictions , but the latter have been improved in two style . First , a newfangled option is available for limiting access to adult Web site automatically ; Leopard include a content filter that intercepts Web pages on the fly and determine if each is “ suited for kids . ”

As with Tiger , you could also make your own inclination of allow sites , but Leopard makes the process much easier than before . alternatively of take to sign in to each see to it account and configure Safari with your tilt of allowed sites , Leopard gives you a dialogue for entering the URLs ( and name ) of sites you desire to take into account — without having to lead your own account . This inclination of allowed site overrides Leopard ’s stock subject filter for these sites , but uses the filter for all other sites .

The Mail & iChat screen combines the iChat- and Mail - account “ whitelist ” functions from Tiger , but provides a clean display and make it easier to sum allow contacts for both character of electronic communication .

One of the feature of the enhanced Parental Controls in Leopard is the ability to set when and for how long an story can use the Mac via a Time Limits screen .

A new Time Limits filmdom provide functionality that was previously available only through third - party software — the capability to restrictwhenandhow longeach substance abuser can utilize the Mac . you’re able to set freestanding time limits for weekdays and weekend days , and you’re able to also place restricted metre during which the user ca n’t sign in . For example , you’re able to restrict an account to 2.5 hours per Clarence Shepard Day Jr. of use during the hebdomad and 3.5 on weekend days , and block approach completely from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. on school night and from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. on weekend . ( Unfortunately , you ca n’t set up multiple range of mountains , such as 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. )

The Logs screen lets you supervise the activity of a controlled account . you’re able to take in a lean of all chat WWW sites , as well as all blocked sites that the exploiter attempted to get at . you could also see which applications were used and with whom the drug user chatted using iChat . A pop - up menu lets you restrict the log view to the current daytime , or the past week , month , three months , six month , or twelvemonth . you’re able to also aggroup the log display by date or by Web website .

( Keep in mind thatanyuser on your Mac with administrator status can change setting and — perhaps more important — eyeshot logs in the Parental Controls pane . Although this is probable not an issue in a home setting where it ’s o.k. for two or more adults to be able to keep an eye on control accounts , it could be a drawback in other situations — for example , if you ’re using Parental Controls in an office or educational circumstance . This is another reason why you should give executive status to account only when absolutely necessary . )

It ’s easy to set up paternal - see accounts for multiple user , thanks to the Copy preferences instruction in Parental Controls .

A useful option — useable from the Action card below the user list — is the power to make do these controls from another calculator . With this option enable on a Mac , that Mac ’s non - admin invoice will look in the Parental Controls user heel onotherMacs on your home web , appropriate you to configure those account ’ Parental Controls setting over the meshing — a convenient selection in a lab or home setting .

Tip : Transferring SettingsSetting up parental - controlled accounts for multiple Thomas Kyd ( or even adult ) ? If the accounts are fail to have the same setting , first configure one of the accounts . Then fall into place the action - carte push button at the bottom of the account list and choose Copy configurations For “ user ” from the bug out - up card that appear . Finally , choose another account and then take Paste options To “ substance abuser . ” This applies the first account ’s Parental Controls preferences to the 2nd invoice , save you the trouble of having to configure each separately . Even if you do n’t plan on configuring each exactly the same , you may apply this technique and then go back and make the necessary change to each report ; assuming you ’re at least configuring the accounts somewhat likewise , this will still carry through you a portion of work .