OS X releases of the modern, post-iPhone era are either "feature" releases or "consolidation" releases. All new OS X versions leave their mark on the operating system, but feature releases usually make bigger changes, and consolidation releases go about tweaking and polishing those features so that they feel more complete. Leopard had Snow Leopard. Lion had Mountain Lion (and Mavericks, a sort of in-betweeny odd-version-out released after Jony Ive's takeover of software design and before his team was able to apply that design to OS X). And now Yosemite has El Capitan.

The intent is clear in the name. El Capitan is a major fixture in Yosemite National Park, so the name suggests a release that hones in on specific things without leaving for a new destination. It's also clear in the feature list. The early build of El Capitan Apple has provided to us is months from being finished, but the new features so far either build on top of what was already present in Yosemite or import features already present in iOS 8.

This shouldn't be considered a proper review—that will come in the fall when the final version of the OS is released, and we may revisit the preview in July when the public beta hits—but a broad overview of the biggest stuff El Capitan brings to the platform. Those of you hoping for a more stable, refined, Snow Leopard-style release won't be disappointed.

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