Hey gang. I'm looking at buying a Macbook Pro in the coming weeks, and I'm wondering if I can get a new one, loaded with TIGER instead of Jaguar (Panther?? whatever the new OS is.). The reason is that AVID is not compatible with the new OS, but it is with Tiger.

Thanks

Hi Richard,
The new OS (Leopard) often takes a few weeks to find their way pre-loaded into off-the-shelf units in many of the brick-n-mortar stores depending upon the product turn-over rate in each location. Otherwise, new units typically come with an update disc in the box that the buyer can use to perform their own update over the previous OS that is still loaded onto the unit. (This is usually not the case with purchases made from Apple using their website)

A possible option would be to check 3rd party resellers such as CompUSA or Best Buy who typically don't move the hardware as quickly as the Apple Stores do. You should be able to check the units right there in the store to determine whether or not it still have Tiger on it. If it does, you can buy it along with a voucher that will let you upgrade to Leopard for $10, which you can then do after AVID becomes compatible.

After much more time, however, it will harder to find this as the stores continue to replenish their stock, and newly stocked units will come with Leopard pre-loaded.
-Jon