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Comment by zippergz | Hacker News Reader

Yeah, there are often several RCs, but usually only one GM. I do vaguely remember some Apple OS release in the past, in which they released a GM and then had to do a second one, but I can't recall the details (even if it was iOS or MacOS).

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GM (Golden Master) = RTM (Release To Manufacturing) = the point where it becomes a bit of a hassle to do a recall because you've started putting copies of your OS in boxes somehow (whether pressed on a disc, or flashed to new machines' SSDs, or whatever.)

If Apple does a second GM on a product, they're likely "rewinding" their pipeline, reopening sealed boxes to re-image computers. Not something they will do if they can at all help it!

They're calling this a "GM Candidate"

  https://www.dropbox.com/s/a2ge8vhirmine5o/Screenshot%202015-09-09%2022.16.22.png?dl=0

Could be an evolution of lingo, or just that they're saying GM are always a candidate but oh god please almost always the same as RTM.

GMs have gone up to at most 3, I believe.

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/09/third-yosemite-golden-ma...

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