Take Control of Upgrading to Tiger 1.0.1
By Joe Kissell
eBook in PDF format, 90 pages, downloadable
May 12, 2005, US $5 (Free Excerpt)

What the Book is About

Take Control of Upgrading to Tiger had specific explanations concerning general precautions and the choices available when performing an operating system upgrade to Tiger (OS X 10.4).

To make a thorough review I performed an upgrade (from OS X 10.1.5 to 10.4.2) and used the book as my detailed instruction manual. There was significant information presented in the TidBITS eBook that was not even mentioned in the supplied Tiger instructions (90 pages versus 3).

This eBook covered a variety of preliminary precautions: hardware compatibility, removal of start-up items; back-up of data; subsequent software updates; ensuring your current user settings and those for your peripherals are not erased; checking your hard disk for the necessary free-space and error removal. The book then delineated the tasks of performing the operating system upgrade, including three separate methods, with pros and cons for each method. The Tiger installer is, of course, automatic, but the upgrade fails to explain, or even obviously display the choices that are available to you. Without the eBook at my side, I would not have been aware of my choices. The eBook was excellent and, I felt, very thorough. Being a newbie for system upgrades and following through the eBook as an instruction manual likely prevented me from making numerous errors during installation.

Target Audience

This eBook was written at a level that would be understandable to a novice like me and yet, I believe, offers significant information to those who may be experienced with upgrading their operating systems.

What I Got Out of the Book

Number one: Using the eBook as a guide, I achieved a proper Tiger installation and all of my software worked when I was finished.

Number two: I received a greater knowledge of the back-up, and the operating system upgrade processes.

Thankfully, I didn't gain any experience with an undesired installation method, lost data, failed software, or loss of communication with my peripherals. Having made the eBook's recommended preliminary efforts, the upgrade was smooth, understandable, and successful on the first attempt.

Highlights

I considered the discussion of the three upgrade methods and their effects upon your system extremely valuable. The eBook likely kept me from creating a clobbered up system or losing access to a bunch of my data.

Mac Guild Grade

B+ (Great)

Final Words

Even at 90 pages, it was a quick read, presented in a way that is readily understandable at many reader levels. Kissell (the author) communicates at a level that I generally understand. I found it to be very thorough and a valuable resource as I upgraded my operating system.

I only encountered a couple of differences in how the installer presented the process and how the eBook described it. The book gave me enough confidence to make the correct choices and to continue on with the installation rather than stop or panic.