Hacker News Reader

Comment by semireg | Hacker News Reader

I ignore macOS updates as a self preservation technique until something forces my hand such as buying a new computer or Xcode complaining it only runs on a particular release.

Between macOS, cpu architecture changes, and the fast pace of Electron’s release cycle (node ABI vs native modules), I’m constantly terrified about keeping builds running. Each upgrade … I’m just clenching my chest waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I never thought I’d become a late adopter of technology. But here we are.

View on HN

There was a time in late high school, early university where OSX updates were like Christmas. I’d be so excited for all these new empowerments. There was such wonder and opportunity to be seized.

But now I’m much like you. I’ve got stuff to do and digital places to be! If I don’t need an update, I don’t want one.

I used to take off of work to watch WWDC live. Now I just read the MacRumors post when I'm in the bathroom.

A decade ago it was a good watch because every single time they had something brand new.

Of course it’s difficult to follow that trend but for a long time now it’s just been iterative updates.

Maybe it’s just because I’m getting older and my views on consumerism have strengthened, but I used to get excited to preorder their new products, now I couldn’t care less.

i think it’s that the products are now mature.

TBF, each update was bringing long expected features and bug fixes, and more than anything dramatic performance improvements.

I started using macs around the 10.3 area, and boy was it slow and clunky. Was still glad it existed in the first place, but it really came a long way forward to the point it’s now faster than windows on ARM.

I was on the eagerly checking when this update came out. Wanted that iphone as webcam feature. It's such a huge improvement. My webcam no longer looks like a washed out newspaper printout. Freeform is also a nice new tool I'm looking forward to using as well as Advanced Data Protection for icloud to have end to end encrypted cloud storage at last.

On the other hand, Ventura prompts me (with a huge window full of whitespace) about using my iPhone as webcam every time an application opens the (built-in) webcam, with the two options being “Get started” or “Remind me later”. They seem to have forgotten the “fuck off” option, as usual for modern tech. What is the user supposed to do in cases where they don’t want/need to use their iPhone as webcam?

Hmm, not ideal but I’m pretty sure if you just go through that prompt it sorts it out. The iPhone becomes another listing in the webcam list but you can pick the built in one and it won’t prompt you to switch.

Yep. I just updated my desktop from 10.14 to 10.15 only because I had to. Best to stay a couple of years behind. Not like the Apple of 15 years ago where their stuff just worked.

I started using OS X with Snow Leopard (before it reaches 10.6.8), but already then my colleagues were telling me not to rush on the first release of whatever next major versions, and wait for the .1 update instead.

Snow Leopard was the greatest OS release of all time. No new user-level features. They made it faster and more stable. Why do folks insist that every new release has to have new features? Why not just make the current features more stable and efficient!?

I’m still on Mojave because I hate new UI changes and such. Don’t know for how long it’s last but for now it works.

One annoying thing is that an iPhone SE 2020 that I bought now requires a fresher version of iTunes that is not available for 10.14. I guess I’ll just wait until it annoys me too much and eventually switch to some android.

I would have stayed on Mojave, but what finally pushed me is that I didn't have full C++17 support for Xcode and the underlying compiler and libraries for some reason I still don't understand. e.g., I couldn't used std::filesystem stuff.

My Mrs is an Astrophysicist and she is exactly the same. In her case she is terrified that Apple will move stuff around and break her paths rendering her EMacs setup unusable. Curious to know how to manage all her pipelines, iraf, python, R, Fortran and general fits processing and sundry as well without it breaking every. Single. MacOS. Upgrade. She only upgrades OS’s every time her funding gets her a new machine. Which is infrequently. Like every three years or so. She uses MacPorts.

So what about your company's IT? I am sure they want to push every updates to you as soon as it is released.

what about security updates?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com