Mac OS X: Panther

Is Apple's newest O.S. worth the upgrade?

I've decided to review the preview of Panther, OS 10.3. I do not have a copy of the preview version, so my responses will be limited to what I've read at Apple's new Panther site (check the archives for other feature reviews)
I will also be rating each feature on a scale from 1-10 on whether or not they are worthy of considering upgrading from the might OS 10.2 Jaguar.

A major new feature Apple is touting:
Fast User Switching:

>Starting with Panthar, Mac users will now have the ability to quickly change from one user to another, without having to quit out of any applications.

>When switching between users, the Keynote box transition is used, a revolving 3D cube:revolving the old screen out and the new screen in.

>Fast User Switching also comes with the option to require a password for certain accounts and not others.

The truth of the matter is that Microsoft beat Apple to this feature; Windows XP has had this ability for a while. However, once again it appears that Windows XP has not done it as well as Panther. Besides the fact that Apple's switching is a lot prettier, from what I saw at the WWDC, Panther is faster at switching. (Of course, Jobs might have been on a fast computer than the XP machines I've run across) This is a nice feature that most users will enjoy -- the family Mac will be shared more readily; it will be great for education, especially professors with T.A.s; and even computers that only have single users can use it as extra desktop space and interface. Fast User Switching, like most of the features new in Panther, is nice, but not a necessity.
Worth the Upgrade Rating: 5.5