Yesterday we reported that Apple was close to issuing the first pre-release build of Mac OS X 10.5.5, the latest maintenance update for Leopard users. "People familiar with the matter" told AppleInsider that Apple Developer Connection members and other high-profile software makers could receive the first test builds of the software by the weekend. As it turns out, they did.

Mac OS X 10.5.5 was also rumored to include support for new Mac notebooks due out later this year (autumn). Unfortunately, no such hints are present in the seed notes accompanying the first build of OS X 10.5.5 (9F5), issued to developers yesterday. What the notes do say is that developers should take extra caution when installing this initial version of the software. In fact, developers are advised against installing Mac OS X 10.5.5 build 9F5 on Macs that contain integrated graphics chips, according to the above-mentioned news source.

"Do not install on the following machines: MacBook Air, MacBook, Mac Mini, iMac (with Intel integrated graphics)," Apple is cited to have told its developer community in the documentation arriving with the first release of 10.5.5. The company, however, doesn't say when exactly the temporary graphics glitch is to be addressed.

As it always does, Apple has asked developers to focus on a bunch of core system components. Those number a dozen and a half, the report says, and include AirPort, FileSync, the Finder, graphics drivers, iCal, iChat, Networking, Text Services, Time Machine, and ExpressCard & USB modems.

As far as bugs are concerned, some 82 bugs discovered or outstanding since the release of Mac OS X 10.5.4 are addressed in this early release of 10.5.5. According to the same people familiar with Apple's plans, significant issues fixed in 9F5 are "kernel crashes in Dashboard or with physical memory addresses larger than 4GB, multiple problems with iCal that include events, scripting, syncing, and several glitches with networking and printer sharing. Text handling has also allegedly been improved," according to the report.