The recent update to OS X, 10.3.9, is, in my experience, offering the following 'features': it has had a kernal panic in the last twenty four hours (whereas none for the duration of 10.3.8); safari has become more unstable; and iPhoto is even more unstable. MacRumors mentions the safari issue, offers a Apple link testing the java issue (ironically mine way fine) and refers to the typically anti-mac News.com article that gloats over the prospect of apple problems. News.com and Cnet are historically and continue to be very pro-MS, and are always looking for opportunities to slate any non-MS products. Maybe 10.3.9 will settle down, but it seems .8 was better, and I'm not sure what the advantages are yet.

On the plus side, flickr has come through on its promise of free goodies for its pro users (myself included - thank you to knautia for the early birthday present). These include doubling the pro membership for free, and giving each pro user two pro accounts to give away. Although this is ultimately a self-serving market-growth marketing opportunity with the rise of alternative photosharing services such as google's picasa, its still not a bad thing, and a monthly Gb of space to hurl photographs onto somebody else's servers is pretty good.