OS X is to go onto a yearly release schedule, a la iOS, starting with this summer's Mountain Lion. Highlights include deeper iCloud integration and document storage; renamed core applications; the removal of interface inconsistencies and oddities; and an antimalware app-certification system of the sort likely to generate debate. [Daring Fireball]

  • http://www.theblacklaser.net/ Joe The Wizard

    Neat! I can’t wait for it to break Media Composer again! Or to never be able to be up to date because the software I rely on is constantly behind! Or have to pay for upgrade after upgrade after upgrade as Apple tinkers with the system and breaks things! AWESOME!

    Give me back “Save as…” please.

    • http://www.nathanhornby.com/ Nathan Hornby

      “Give me back “Save as…” please.”

      This.

      It wouldn’t be a problem if it were totally pervasive; but I use 2 apps that use the new system, and it drives me mad (and has resulted in lost work, due to some weird bug where it’s not saving versions in certain places).

      Makes sense on iOS (the whole no need to save thing), but it just doesn’t fit into my workflow on a desktop.

      • Joshua Ochs

        Vote with your dollars and tell the app developer you can’t use their product because of it. None of my apps (thankfully) have adopted it, but some of the apps that support full-screen mode have the option of both the “old way” and Lion Full Screen, because of functionality issues with Lion’s design.

        Any decent app developer should be able to make Versions support a toggle. If you don’t complain though, they won’t know it’s an issue for you.

    • http://www.megatoothpastemammals.com Carpeteria

      Yes, please and thank you. It was a cute experiment, but it’s no good. Bring it back, Apple.

      And also, put Safari back the way it was. I’ve never seen it crash or slow down as much as it has since the most recent “update”. 

      • teapot

        Why… would you use Safari? Safari is one small step above IE.

        • http://www.megatoothpastemammals.com Carpeteria

          I sort of just… like it? I haven’t used anything that’s exceptionally better, but maybe I ought to shop around again.

    • ialreadyexist

      Guide to Updating to New Versions: Consider the initial few releases as beta.  Let others do the beta testing.  If you don’t need a specific feature of the new version, don’t upgrade at all.  If you don’t have an immediate need for a new feature (as in, the current version just doesn’t work at all for you), wait as long as you can.

      • http://www.theblacklaser.net/ Joe The Wizard

        Having been a Media Composer for a decade now, I am well aware. I still haven’t even touched FCP X.

  • http://illustratorhints.com/ Jesseham

    Hopefully they have some better communication with Adobe this time around.  I’m still on Snow Leopard so I can be sure that I can get work done.

    Also, I’ve been hoping for a long time that they would remember their original core user and update the damn macpro.  It’s been nearly 2 years!

    • Cowicide

      I’m using 10.6.8 for day-to-day work.  Mainly because of the issues with battery-life in Lion.  What are your specific reasons for sticking with 10.6.x?

      • http://illustratorhints.com/ Jesseham

        Mainly out of “if it ain’t broke…” logic, but if you go look on the adobe forums, there was quite a bit of static when the move to Lion took place.  Crashes (I should say •new• crashes, since I work mostly in Illustrator), files not opening, fonts not working correctly.  Too many potential problems for me to take the risk and for what?  I don’t use iCloud and I don’t need a shinier interface to match my iPhone.

        • http://www.theblacklaser.net/ Joe The Wizard

          Dear Illustrator, please allow me to right-click on layers in the layer palette. WHY CAN I NOT DO THIS?

  • Joshua Ochs

    Before things get too out of hand with the application certification, everyone should note that the default setting is to disallow non-signed applications, BUT any developer can obtain a free certificate for signing apps, and these otherwise function as a “normal” non-App Store application. Signing is completely separate from the App Store distribution system, approval process, and functionality restrictions and sandboxing.

    Also, in before obligatory “For now…”.

    • EH

      Yikes. It sounds like it’s already out of hand!

    • retepslluerb

      Not obligatory, but they make it harder for developers to stay outside the store: “iCloud document storage and Notification Center. Both of these are slated only for third-party apps from the Mac App Store.“

      While not strictly essential to most programs, iCloud storage may become a key feature for many users. I certainly would welcome it for quite a few of the applications I use – especially those with pendants on iOS.  

      • evanplus

        Yeah, but there’s already Growl and Dropbox, which work perfectly well (in fact, probably better than the Apple replacements, at least at first).

        • retepslluerb

          Growl would be an adequate replacement  for Notifications, yes, though it’s a little bit cumbersome to have two notification centers.  

          Dropbox is okay, but will not offer an as deep integration and comprehensive framework for  developers in this regard. 

          • EH

            Sounds like another EEE Microsoftification at Apple, like they did with Spotlight against Quicksilver.

          • teapot

            @boingboing-f35fd567065af297ae65b621e0a21ae9:disqus:  On my version of Lion Spotlight is incapable of searching the network drive, so I have to use a 3rd party program called EasyFind

            How is this progress Apple?

  • infocommie

    I’m surprised. I figured Lion would mark the end of OSX, before kicking into OS 11 or some whole new naming scheme.  The king of beasts would have been a fitting closure to the cat line.  Wonder where they go after Mountain Lion.  They’re running out of cool cats!

    • retepslluerb

      Also, they recycle. They already used the same animal for 10.1 

      • http://zombo.com MalcoveMagnesia

        10.1 was called “Puma”

        (misses the days of fun code names… like BHA).

        • retepslluerb

          And a Puma is different from a Mountain Lion in what way? 

        • Moe Hong

          A Puma *is* a mountain lion.

      • graywh

        And then there’s Panther, which isn’t a specific cat at all.

    • Felton / Moderator

      I’m hoping for OS 10.9 Ocelot.

      • http://www.mrericsir.com MrEricSir

         Just to confuse the shit out of people running Oneiric Ocelot?

      • http://www.theblacklaser.net/ Joe The Wizard

        OS 10.10 Sabertooth Tiger

  • ridestowe

    Coming to OS X in 2013: Update Caracal

  • benher

    Highlights include – Apple relearns to color code the fucking sidebar icons. Genius!

  • Cowicide

    Some of the main things in 10.8 should be in 10.7.5.  If people are kind enough to Apple to purchase their Macs and iPhones and iPads…  make them sync properly in 10.7.x, m’kay?

    Also, Apple… should you really have time fudging with 10.8 when 10.7.3. still has battery-life issues?

    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3194235?start=0&tstart=0

    I’m still using 10.6.8 because I get better battery life than 10.7.x and here Apple is trying to tell me how wonderful 10.8 is already?

    Don’t become another Microsoft, Apple.

    • http://www.mrericsir.com MrEricSir

      If it was Microsoft they’d only come out with a new OS every 6 years or so, and every other release would be borderline unusable.

      What Apple is doing with yearly releases is more like Ubuntu or Fedora.

  • teapot

    It would be nice if Apple could’ve made Lion work effectively before releasing it. Many people have gone back to to Snow Leopard instead because they changed a whole bunch of stuff  for no reason other than they are the unassailable harbingers of the future.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IH3CQ7VQW6OVWD2OW367WYETXU William

    So, is this free, or are they basically announcing that buying a Mac means never having to say you’ve finished paying?

    • retepslluerb

      Apple already told their investors that future updates would be free and that they put $22 away for this for any Mac sold.   Kind of like they do with iPhones. 

      I think it’s very likely that the update will be free for all machines sold with 10.7 and paid for all machines before that. 

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IH3CQ7VQW6OVWD2OW367WYETXU William

         Well that is standard (free for people who just bought the previous version within a short period of time), but the contrast is that Windows only rolls out a new operating system every 5 years or so, and keeps the old operating system around. Apple owners have to buy new operating systems regularly, and if they don’t they’re quickly rendered obsolete. I seriously wonder how much of Apple’s rapid rollout of new operating systems is to make their products better and how much is just to make lots of money.

  • woolgathering

    I hope that put minimised applications back into exposé.