If the Mac user in your life has not upgraded to Snow Leopard, now is the time!
Quite simply, this was the easiest and fastest upgrade of any operating system I have ever done.
If they are going to do it:
1. Make sure they have a current Time Machine backup. (They will need an external hard drive – here’s my choice.)
2. Make sure they first run SnowChecker, the free application that will tell them which applications they have will need to upgrade. (Download the installer for each application and then install them after Snow Leopard is live.)
As of this writing, you can buy Snow Leopard for $25 from Amazon. (Add four pencils to get free shipping.) You can get a family 5-pack for $43 (with free shipping) or the Box Set that includes the latest versions of iLife and iWork for $138 (also with free shipping).
That Mac-user you know and love will hug you! As the reviews have said, it is indeed zippier than the previous operating system, (regular) Leopard.
Disclaimer: Your results may vary. And if a lawyer were sitting in the room with me, they would say that I cannot be held liable for any lost data or system failures.