Bob
I presume that the economically-priced Mac Box Set containing OS X 10.5.6 Leopard, iLife '09, and iWork '09 would be the way to go. Do you concur?
Well that's the cheapest way to do it. You could, of course, buy a new Mac 😉
Do you feel that my 20" Intel iMac--details listed below--would have any problems handling the upgraded programs?
It will have no problems with the updated OS or applications.
'm uneasy at the thought of upgrading my operating system, but I presume that chances of running into problems are much less than if I were upgrading a Windows OS. In case a problem arises my entire hard drive is backed up with a 1T external hard drive using SuperDuper software, but I prefer not to encounter a situation requiring me to use it for restoration purposes.
The key to
any update or upgrade is to make sure that you have a good working back up. That way, should anything go wrong, you have a quick way back to where you started.
My tips for upgrading the OS? Disconnect the disk with the back up and all other peripherals when you do the Upgrade. Pop the disk in. Do a standard Upgrade. (There are some folks who swear that you should wipe your HD and start over from scratch before you do, but, frankly, that's overkill. I've been upgrading Macs since 1992 and never had a problem.
Regards
TD