Apple released the latest version of Mac OS today, code-named Mavericks, and after installing it I feel like I’m at a highly dangerous, potentially lethal surfing spot with insanely gigantic waves. (OK, not rly.) Good thing I read John Siracusa’s incredibly in-depth article on this new operating system before getting my shorts wet: OS X 10.9 Mavericks: The Ars Technica Review.

Mavericks is the first California-themed release of OS X, named after “places that inspire us here in California,” according to Craig Federighi, who says this naming scheme is intended to last for at least the next 10 years. The pressure is on for Mavericks to set a new direction for the Mac platform.

According to Apple, Mavericks has a dual focus. Its first and most important goal is to extend battery life and improve responsiveness. Secondarily, Mavericks aims to add functionality that will appeal to “power users” (Apple’s words), a group that may be feeling neglected after enduring two releases of OS X playing iOS dress-up.

Is that enough for Mavericks to live up to its major-release version number and to kick off the next phase of OS X’s life? Let’s find out.