The issue Apple will need to resolve is ensuring that Spotlight searches don't generate so much network traffic that they create problems. It may also force systems administrators to be much more conscious of permissions in folder hierarchies. Generally, being able to stop someone from browsing for files where they shouldn't have access can be very effective. However, users can often locate and open items by search or by file path, even if they can't browse for them. The expanded searchability of network data may allow users to find files, even if those files are located within folders that would traditionally block outside access.

Mail's next generation promises to be very inviting. I've often heard Microsoft Outlook users complain that Apple's Mail is too limiting. Integrating notes and to-dos is a great move, though since Mail is not truly a PIM application, it seems a somewhat arbitrary place for to-do lists. It might have been better to roll iCal into Mail with these features.

That to-dos will be integrated as a system-level feature is icing on the cake. Being able to create a to-do at any point is beyond helpful. One of the reasons I never used Outlook's to-do list was the simple fact that it required me to stop what I was working on, switch to Outlook and then choose the to-do list in order to add an item. That would completely break my concentration (so I'd just write stuff down on a scrap of paper, which I'd usually lose). Any professional Mac user will benefit from this feature.

And since I've mentioned complaints from Outlook users, the lack of multiuser support in iCal has got to be mentioned. I'm actually surprised this feature was mentioned almost as an afterthought in yesterday's keynote. What's even better is that not only is iCal multiuser -- and integrated with Mail's new to-do feature -- but Leopard Server's implementation of multiuser iCal functions is CalDAV-based. CalDAV is a standard method for sharing event data that is supported by other applications, including Outlook. This means that iCal's multi-user functionality is also multiplatform. In fact, this makes Leopard Server a great competitor for Exchange Server in a multiplatform environment. (I'll get to Leopard Server in my next article).

Finally, let's talk about iChat for a moment. Instant messaging has always had a minor role in the professional world. Yes, it's easier than sending an e-mail and less obtrusive than a phone call, but it's still always seemed like something for mainly personal communication. The new iChat Theatre feature changes that dramatically. Yes, sharing and being able to narrate a slideshow is cool. But being able to make presentations remotely is beyond big business. Companies have been developing separate technologies for video conferencing, remote presentations and other forms of distance collaboration for years. And here it is, completely free, using hardware built into almost every Mac and using free software. And, when used with iChat server under Leopard Server, this feature can be encrypted for secure communication.