This box is the retail packaging for Mac OS X Server, Version 10.3 Panther. The artwork on the box changed considerably from the previous Jaguar-fur-covered X in Apple Garamond to a new, more blocky serif font with a metallic finish.
This version was released on October 24, 2003, and added LDAP-based Open Directory user and file management.
A new Workgroup Manager application allowed for a vast improvement for configuration. Other network services were added or improved including SNMP, Apache web server, mail server, OpenLDAP, AFP, print server, SMB version 3 (improved Windows compatibility), MySQL (4.0.16), and PHP (4.3.7).
The box indicates that it contains Mac OS X Server v10.3, Admin Tools, Xcode, getting started guide, electronic documentation.
Keynote was announced by Steve Jobs as an app created for him for his world-renowned presentations. (Previously Jobs had used the application Concurrence by Lighthouse Design.)
This is the box version of Keynote 1.0 from 2003. Keynote was sold as a separate application for about two years until it joined Pages as a part of Apple’s iWork suite of software tools.
In my opinion, Keynote has been far superior to PowerPoint and other presentation applications since its release. Keynote used 3D slide transitions and builds that take full advantage of OpenGL, the graphics system that is part of macOS. Keynote has always perfectly handled imported media since it supports all QuickTime formats available in macOS.
I have been a Keynote user since its beta release in 2003 and have seldom used other presentation formats.
iLife is a suite of software by Apple that has included the apps iMovie, iDVD, iTunes, iPhoto, GarageBand, and iWeb.
Apple regularly updated the iLife suite of applications from 2003–2013, and Apple Education released at least three CDs titled “iLife. For the Classroom.” in 2003, 2004, and 2005.
The iLife for the Classroom CD contained “lesson plans, project examples, and how-to guides for using iLife in the classroom.” This example is from 2003 and is unopened in its original packaging.
My collection of Apple CD and DVD media includes operating systems, applications, software collections that shipped with devices, promotional media, diagnostic tools, and educational content. In general, Apple-branded CD or DVD examples in original packaging have been presented separately, while single discs or collections of discs are presented chronologically.
Apple CDs and DVDs from 2003 include:
iBook Mac OS X Install Disc 1 (Mac OS version 10.2.3, CD version 1.0, 2Z691-4282-A, 2003)
AppleWorks 6 Education Version (Mac OS X, Mac OS 8.1 or later, Windows 95/98/Me/2000/XP, Version 6.2.7, 691-4415-A, 2003)
.Mac (Version 2.0, 0Z691-4421-A, 2003)
iTunes 4 Installer CD with QuickTime 6.2 (Built for Mac OS X v10.1.5 or later, 2003)
iTunes 3, iPhoto 2, iMovie 3, iDVD 3 Install DVD For systems with a SuperDrive (Version 1.0, 2Z691-4302-A, 2003)
iTunes 3, iPhoto 2, iMovie 3 Install CD For systems without a SuperDrive (Version 1.0, 2Z691-4301-A, 2003)
Keynote (Version 1.0, 691-4149-A, 2003)
Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Software (Built for Mac OS X v10.2.6 or later, Version 1.1, 2Z691-4661-A, 2003)
iMac Software Install and Restore (Mac OS version 10.2.3, DVD version 1.1, 691-4319-A, 2003)
AirPort Software Installation (unopened, CD Version 3.0.4, 691-4420-A)
Power Mac G4 Software Install and Restore (Mac OS version 10.2.3, DVD version 1.1, 691-4309-A, 2003)
Mac OS X Xcode Tools Install Disc (Requires Mac OS X v10.3 or later, Version 1.0, 691-4591-A, 2003)
Previous software bundles were packaged in cardboard envelopes. In 2003 Apple changed to packaging software bundles in clear plastic packaging, shown here.
The Power Macintosh G4/1.25 GHz “Mirrored Drive Doors” tower used a 1.25 GHz PowerPC 7455 G4 processor, 256 MB RAM, an 80 GB hard drive, a 12X DVD-ROM/CD-RW “Combo” drive, and allowed wireless using an optional AirPort (802.11b) card. This model was released along with new Power Macintosh G5 models to provide a lower-cost alternative for users who did not need the power of the G5 and still wanted to boot with the MacOS 9 operating system.
While similar to the previous “Quicksilver” model, the front of this tower retains the silver opaque color, but adds a mirror-finished plate over the two available optical drive doors in the center. Although two drive spaces are available, this example only uses one “Combo” (CD/DVD reader/writer) drive in the top position. The prominent drive doors also include the power button at the top-center and an “interrupt” button off to the right. A single speaker is placed above the doors. Four conspicuous ventilation holes span the bottom of the front of this tower.
The back of the tower was flipped compared to previous similar tower designs (G3 blue and white, G4 graphite, and G4 Quicksilver), in that the expansion slots are placed at the top. This tower has spaces for five slots, but only uses slot 1 (at the bottom) to house a VGA port and ADC (proprietary Apple Display Connector) port; slots 2–5 are unused. Ports are included below with two USB, two FireWire (400), one ethernet, a space for a modem port, and side-by-side microphone (line-in)/speaker (audio-out) 3.5 mm jacks. A dedicated Apple speaker port is included to allow Apple’s crystal-clear spherical speakers to be used.
The right side of the tower included a latch with a circular rubberized grip that allowed the entire side of the tower to be opened on a hinge, revealing and providing relatively easy access to all internal components. Plug-in slots (such as video, memory, and wireless) were attached to the hinged side, while components such as drives and fans remained attached to the internal metal frame of the tower.
A design concept worth noting in this tower is its two-layer round-hole pattern on the back. The internal layer features smaller, closely spaced holes in silver metal, while the larger outer holes are spaced further apart in light-silver plastic. The concept is similar to the somewhat-maligned “cheese grater” design used in the 2019 Mac Pro tower. The 2019 Mac Pro uses a “machined spherical array” of ventilation holes in a distinctive design—”The lattice pattern on the Mac Pro is based on a naturally occurring phenomenon in molecular crystal structures.” To be clear, the 2019 design is a single piece of machined metal—not two separate layers—but the designs are related visually. In both the 2003 and 2019 towers, the holes are used simultaneously as design, structure, and ventilation.
The original iSight Camera from Apple was an external cylindrical camera with a FireWire connection that shipped with a variety of mounts for use on different Mac computers of the time.
The iSight Carrying Case is referenced in the Setting Up iSight section of the iSight User’s Guide with a diagram, “iSight includes the following components.”
iSight carrying case Flat-panel display and flat-panel iMac mount eMac and desktop mount iSight Cable adapter FireWire cable Magnetic display mount PowerBook and iBook mount
The iPod 6-pin–to–4-pin FireWire Adapter was specifically included with the iPod Generation 3 (Dock Connector) to make it compatible with Windows computers. According to the iPod User’s Guide:
To use iPod with a Windows PC, you must have: • A Windows PC with 500 MHz or higher processor speed • Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 or later, or Windows XP Home or Professional • iTunes 4.2 or later (iTunes is included on the iPod CD). To be sure you have the latest version of iTunes, go to www.apple.com/itunes. • iPod software (included on the iPod CD) • Built-in FireWire or a FireWire card installed, or built-in USB 2.0 or a USB 2.0 card and the optional iPod Dock Connector to USB 2.0 + FireWire Cable
Although all Mac computers at the time had a 6-pin FireWire port built in, Windows computers had many different possible ports. For Windows, the iPod Generation 3 could support three connectors: USB port (USB 2.0 recommended), 6-pin FireWire 400 port (IEEE 1394), or 4-pin FireWire 400 port (with included adapter).
The 4-pin FireWire adapter only supported data transfer, it could not charge the iPod.
This short (11-inch) power cord shipped with a later version of the Xserve or the Xserve RAID, a rack-mount server from Apple produced from 2002–2009. This short power cord was ideal for a rack-mounted server to conserve both rack space and weight.
The Apple Xserve had the ability to house two power supplies so there was redundancy in the event one power supply failed. According to one of the Xserve User Guides:
Power supply and power supply bays—A removable power supply for the Xserve. The power cord connects here. You can install two 750- watt power supplies for redundancy; either supply can take over the full load for the Xserve if the other supply fails or is removed.
The original Xserve User’s Guide specifies that it only ships with a long power cord: “You can use the long power cord supplied with the server, or another cord…” Thus, this power cord likely shipped with a later Xserve model. The Xserve RAID User Guide acknowledges that the Xserve RAID may have shipped with more than one type of power cord (“If you received more than two power cords, use the ones with plugs compatible with the electrical supply for your location.”)
The AirPort Extreme Card card replaced Apple’s original AirPort card in 2003. The first computers designed to use this card were the iBook G4/800 12-inch (original) and the iMac G4 1.0 17-inch (flat panel).
Apple devices with wireless capabilities after the AirPort Extreme Card had Wi-Fi as a standard feature built in to the architecture beginning in mid-2005. Beginning in 2006 with the Intel-based MacBook Pro, Apple used non-Apple-branded internal wireless cards (e.g., Atheros, Broadcom).
According to Apple’s AirPort Extreme Card User’s Guide:
AirPort Extreme Card Specifications • Wireless Data Rate: Up to 54 megabits per second (Mbps) • Range: Up to 150 feet (45 meters) from the base station in typical indoor use (varies with building) • Frequency Band: 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) • Radio Output Power: 15 dBm (nominal) • Standards: Compliant with 802.11 HR Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) 11 Mbps standard, 802.11 DSSS 1 and 2 Mbps standard, and 802.11g specification
Mac OS X, version 10.3, named “Panther,” was the fourth release of the Mac OS X [pronounced “Mac O S ten”] operating system. The operating system was released October 24, 2003.
Upon release of Panther, Apple Stores gave customers these commemorative dog tags. Each set includes two two-sided tags—the front tags are black and have a stylized “X” (ten) logo with the words “Mac OS X Panther v10.3 Worldwide Release,” while the back tag only features the stylized “X” logo on the front. Both tags have a silver back with a black Apple logo. The tags are held together with a silver loop, and the set includes a ball chain style neck chain. The dog tags are similar in style to identification worn by military personnel. The tags measure 50×30 mm.
Incidentally, the reason that the stylized “X” (ten) logo appears with a brushed-metal texture is because the operating system’s Finder added this texture to various interface elements, including the menu bar, Finder windows, and some dialog boxes. A version of Safari that preceded Mac OS X v10.3 was the first indication that the brushed-metal design style was forthcoming. Mac OS X v10.3 was also the first Mac OS X version to use Safari as the default web browser.
I have two of these sets in my collection, one opened and one unopened in the original package.
