I am looking forward to the release of OS X Mavericks especially for these new features which I think will ultimately help my “scholarly workflow”:
File Tagging! Tags, when used correctly, can serve as a powerful organization tool that will save you time retrieving files later. I have wanted this for a long time (there is an app for that, by the way), and I am glad it will now be native to the OS.
Finder Tabs. I use finder a lot, and I open multiple finder windows a lot. Tabs will be a welcome addition.
Multiple Displays. I usually work with an external display connected to my Macbook Pro and have never been happy with the way the OS handles it. New features will create a bit more independence between the screens and will mean less dragging from one screen to another.
Better Calendar. I just never got into Google Calendar (nor syncing it with iCal), and since I also use an iPhone, iCal has been my Calendar of choice in spite of its fairly basic functionality. Usability improves with the new OS.
Features I don’t plan to use:
iCloud Keychain! You mean my passwords can sync to all my devices over the internet and be stored remotely (i.e., in the ‘cloud’)? No thank you! I have an extreme aversion to putting my stuff ‘out there’ regardless of the encryption technology.
Notifications. I find them annoying already. I don’t want to have an interruption on my screen every time I get something new in ______ (whatever) or every time a new update is available. These can presently be shut off a few different ways, but there is always the risk of missing something important. I am not sure how easy it will be to tweak them in the new OS.