Sure, we admit it; we've been burned a bit by Mac OS X updates in the recent past. For example, 10.3.5 broke some unsupported software we rely on to share our Treos' wireless 'net connections on our portables, meaning we've actually had to (gasp) pay for WiFi in a pinch. And 10.3.6 did something funky to AirPort Extreme on one of our PowerBooks, rendering its allegedly 11 Mbps connection to an original AirPort Base Station just slightly slower than a 9600 baud modem, leading to early-'90s flashbacks during which we couldn't get that damn Spin Doctors song out of our heads. But has any of that dampened our enthusiasm for new versions issuing forth from Apple? Well, um, yeah-- it really has. But that doesn't mean we don't go stabbing at the "Check Now" button in Software Update thirty times a day like any other red-blooded Mac user desperate for a fix.

And Apple's got what you need, baby; faithful viewer Kelranth was first to inform us that Mac OS X Update 10.3.7 has officially surfaced, packing 26 MB of "enhanced functionality and improved reliability" (say, didn't we get that last time?) into the incremental update from 10.3.6, while the Combined Update that works with any version of Panther weighs in at a zaftig 97 MB in size. So what do you get for the chunk of disk space you'll sacrifice to install it? Well, aside from the nifty numerical change in the "About This Mac" window-- and really, isn't that enough?-- Apple claims you'll also enjoy new graphics card drivers with better 3D support, the ability to save files with long file names to AFP-mounted volumes, "improved FireWire device compatibility" (as opposed to 10.3.6, which provided "drastically hosed FireWire device compatibility"), an updated Preview app, and the standard "improved compatibility for third party applications" and "previous standalone security updates."

Unfortunately, that's all you get, so the update reportedly falls far short of the features and enhancements originally rumored for inclusion. In particular, rumors that 10.3.7 would "melt off the pounds and keep them off" were evidently grossly exaggerated. Likewise, early reports from early adopters in the field indicate that 10.3.7 includes no facility to "repair bad credit," "stop the holiday blues with a revolutionary new drug-free method," or "increase personal length and girth by satisfying inches." Sheesh, who knew that Apple's developers would slack off this badly? On the plus side, however, according to comments over at MacNN, 10.3.7 finally appears to have fixed the DNS lookup "issue" that's plagued many users with "intermittent connectivity issues" since late September's security update hit the scene.

So could this be that increasingly rare thing, a Mac OS X update that fixes existing bugs without introducing major new ones? Well, yes and no. Because while we haven't yet spotted any consistent reports of bizarre and interesting new nastiness with 10.3.7, comments over at MacFixIt definitely imply that the update didn't fix the DNS issue for everyone-- and in some cases reportedly even made it much, much worse. And a couple of reports have already rolled in from viewers claiming that the "improved FireWire device compatibility" has made their drives fail to mount. But hey, it wouldn't be a Panther update if some people didn't get shafted, right?

So if you're planning to update, make sure to read all the directions, back up all your data, and proceed with caution. Sure, it sounds like a hassle, but just think of the benefits-- like the number 10.3.7 in "About This Mac." Ooooooo!