Some thoughts on a fresh install, stability, add ons, etc

[philbrown]

A few thoughts after working for weeks on a totally clean ground-up install. I’m trying to create a lean clean machine from my 2009 Mac Pro with 2 new SSD’s and tripling the RAM, but I still want email and web capabilities too. How far do you go in customizing? A thread recently on Finder alternatives/add-ons got me thinking, which I’ll illustrate via an imaginary example:

"Damn, this new OS zapped my colored icons in the sidebar. That sucks, I like my colored icons. Oh, good here’s FinderAddOnXYZ that restores colored icons in the sidebar! Yay! Let’s see… it’s version .024 by a software developer I’ve never heard of. Oh well, I want my icons back!”
[installs software]
[Fast Forward 2-3 years and 2 OS X upgrades later]

“You all are not having problems with the same configuration as me?? I don't get it- why is this OS upgrade causing graphic weirdness on my machine but none of yours??” [Doesn’t recall installing FinderAddOnXYZ and even if so, does not remember the exact name and no idea exactly what components were installed and there’s no uninstall available. Doh! Remembers name: Does a search for ‘FinderAddOnXYZ’ but unfortunately the components installed are labled cryptically and can’t be located.] “I just wish Apple would sort out their OS releases instead of releasing a buggy OS!”

I wonder how many of our “That’s funny, it’s running fine for me” situations could be traced back to something roughly like the above scenario? The question I’m asking these days is: “This looks good now, but what about 2 OS upgrades from now? Is this functionality so necessary for my workflow that I’m willing to risk instability down the road?” More and more my answer these days is “not really”.

[mikehalloran]

My moment came with OS 10.8.2. I liked the Bresink temperature monitor up to that point. I recognized that it wasn't following the Apple Toolkit when I had installed it a few years earlier and did not recognize the name in the crash reports. It was a real PIA to remove but I figured it out. Then Mavericks came out and my iMac started running a lot cooler.

Spin Doctor X was a surprise since it was from a commercial developer and was bundled with Toast (through 11!). I knew it stopped working in OS 10.6 but never expected it to crash my iMac in 10.8.2.

Then in 2012 I found a Time Machine backup that reported it would take years to complete... ?!?!? This was on a brand new Time Capsule! Opening Console, I found that it was hanging on Finale 2009 Help files. OK... deleted Finale 2009, erased the TC drive, tried again and it worked.

My wife's 2011 iMac had an issue with Danish HP printer files from 2005. These were from an old HP utility that was sitting on my 2010 iMac and not causing a problem. Weird... since I got my first HP printer in 2007.

The hardest problem I ever traced was the wired mouse on that 2011 iMac; the curser would sometimes go crazy. Three calls to Applecare couldn't find the problem but they kept telling me to reinstall OS 10.7. The fourth tech suggested turning Bluetooth off which fixed it immediately – seems she was picking up my daughter's BT mouse. OS 10.8 fixed that, BTW.

Anyway, you just don't know. I try to avoid all freeware and shareware if I can – yet I use Trim Enabler because Apple doesn't want me to use TRIM on my SSD.

[philbrown]

Mike, you are a master troubleshooter! The bluetooth mouse story is classic.

I guess what I get from all this is the software we need (and hardware drivers etc) can cause enough havoc on their own (especially down the OS road) much less installing a bunch of shareware widgetry stuff. I'm even taking a hard look at my hardware like my Countour Shuttle control for example and how badly do I need that for what I do? Quite a different mindset than "Whee! Let's install some eye candy and weird little utility stuff!!"

[James Steele]

...yet I use Trim Enabler because Apple doesn't want me to use TRIM on my SSD.

And this my friend is the first "crack in the dam" that is my faith in Apple. Their unwillingness to provide the necessary info to third parties bothers me, and seems like it's being driven by greed. They want to pressure users to buy SSDs from them and inflated prices. What's next? Proprietary RAM modules available only from Apple?

[mikehalloran]

They want to pressure users to buy SSDs from them and inflated prices. What's next? Proprietary RAM modules available only from Apple?

What do you mean, next?

They don't sell Apple branded SSDs for anyone to buy in the secondary market. Sometimes, a few escape to eBay when repair stations and large VARs decide to reduce inventory but, normally, if you don't order it new, you are out of luck. OWC is making replacements and upgrades available for the current Mini, iMac and nMP but you'd better anticipate the future if you're buying a portable.

Soldered in RAM and proprietary blade SSDs with the 2013-on MBPs and MBAir... yikes!

Anyone want to bet against that the same is coming down the pike for the rest of the line? Not I.

[James Steele]

Soldered in RAM and proprietary blade SSDs with the 2013-on MBPs and MBAir... yikes!

Anyone want to bet against that the same is coming down the pike for the rest of the line? Not I.

If they push it too far, you'll see me running DP on Windows. That's MY "killer app." I'm more loyal to DIGITAL PERFORMER and MOTU. I don't particularly care WHAT platform DP runs on once the user experience is the same. I'll move to Windows should I someday feel Apple is abusing me for the sake of their profits.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

And you think PC makers aren't interested in profits first? I hear what you're saying, James, and have thought the exact same thing. Then I sit at a PC and that all fades away. I will probably be a Mac user until the line ends. Then I want a quantum computer - assuming I live that long.

[James Steele]

And you think PC makers aren't interested in profits first?

I can't believe you're serving up a softball like that! Of course they do, but they don't have a closed system like Apple. Because they have defacto control of the hardware that runs OS X (Hackintoshes not withstanding) they are in a unique position to soak the consumer that wishes to run OS X and design machines that make it difficult or impossible for the user to install third party parts. Go into any Fry's and you can buy cases, motherboard, power supplies, graphics cards... you name it... and built yourself a screaming fast Windows machine for relatively cheap.

Heretofore, I don't mind paying the premium to partake of OSX/Digital Performer. What I *am* saying, however, is that should Apple push me too far and the DP/Windows experience achieves the same reliability as the DP/OSX experience, I can't rule out going over to the "Dark Side"... especially as it's becoming less clear just WHO is the "Dark Side."

[MIDI Life Crisis]

... I can't rule out going over to the "Dark Side"... especially as it's becoming less clear just WHO is the "Dark Side."

[dosuna11]

The Apple orphanage is full of many disenfranchised users. I am just sitting here staring at the eloquence of the icons in Snow Leopard. After a day in Yosemite (icons)I thought my world was beginning to look like an 8 bit Atari only without the fun.

[mikehalloran]

We can always cruise over the Windows users boards to see how much better and easier DP 8 works over there.

[James Steele]

We can always cruise over the Windows users boards to see how much better and easier DP 8 works over there.

I wouldn't bet on it for a while... but like I said... sooner or later, MOTU may get DP Windows in really good shape and then depending on what Apple does... well "never say never." Not something I need to think about either way for a long while.