"We've probably doubled the backorders of Leopard, compared to what we did with Tiger," Patrick Brown, CEO of Brown Computer Solutions, a Brattleboro, Vermont-based solution provider and Apple specialist, told the publication. "With the Intel Macs, Apple has significantly increased the installed base. We do expect a very successful launch."

Apple is expected to begin sending channel partners Leopard launch kits ahead of the release. This is the longest period of time between major releases in the OS X line. Apple had originally planned to begin shipping Leopard in the spring but pushed it back to October so it could, at the time, shift resources to cover late development of the iPhone (which uses a version of Mac OS X).

Solution providers told ChannelWeb that the delay did nothing to slow down Mac sales. Apple says its last quarter sales of Mac systems showed 33 percent growth, more than double the PC industry as a whole.

Submissions are being taken for the "Macsimum Macworld San Francisco 2008 Coupon Book." For details email Dennis at daseller@earthlink.net