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Mavericks by name, Mavericks by nature - Apple's latest desktop OS

Apple’s latest desktop operating system offers features that Windows users can only dream of but perhaps the most revolutionary feature is its price.

Craig Federighi generated one of the biggest gasps and cheers when Apple's head of software took to the stage in California Tuesday to run through a demo of the 10th iteration of its OSX desktop and notebook operating system.

And while the audience was impressed by the demo of OSX Mavericks' integrated technologies, features and desktop apps, it was when Federighi revealed that Mavericks would not only be free of charge but that it is available to download now and would be compatible with computers as far back as the 2007 iMac that a ripple went through the crowd.

To highlight how revolutionary Apple's pricing decision is, it Federighi used an image slide showing the latest version of Microsoft's operating system -- Windows 8.1 plus its $199 price tag.

But what will users get for free? A set of tools that enhance a computer’s existing performance via more intelligent use of the CPU, RAM and graphics card so that an old PC feels like it's had a full service plus an even better integration across Apple products so that Maps can be pushed from desktop to tablet and alerts can be sent and received in any app.