[Leica] OT New Apple software

[lrzeitlin at aol.com (lrzeitlin at aol.com)]

        I have been a Mac user since 1984 and have a closet full of obsolete 
computers and drawers full of outdated software. The computers all work. 
Even the first 1984 model. Apple makes superb hardware, but Apple's policy 
on software seems to be to support the old stuff for one or two generations 
then to simply write it off. As a former consultant to Apple, I was informed 
by by my neighbor's son, the Microsoft VP in charge of Windows, that this 
freed Apple from catering to the needs of legacy users. It was a good 
marketing strategy for the company, essentially saying that if you wanted 
all the bells and whistles of the new OS you had to buy a new computer.
        In my opinion the last fully featured Apple OS was 10.6.8, i.e. Snow 
Leopard. It reminds me of the old fully mechanical automobiles before you 
needed an electrical engineering degree to tweak the innards. Or the 
mechanical Leicas for those photographically obsessed. It could be made to 
run much of the legacy software, including the old Photoshop, and had the 
decent iPhoto '09. Unfortunately most new apps require OS 10.7 to 10.9 
(Mavericks) or higher. OS 10.10.3 is Yosemite and is currently available for 
free at the Apple App Store. No need to wait until fall. It is here now. The 
new software that will be released in September is El Capitan. It is an 
update of Yosemite.
        Yosemite received mixed reviews amongst Apple aficionados. Photo, 
the replacement for iPhoto, is, by all accounts inferior to its predecessor. 
The software requires a different mind set to use. It makes running a Mac 
laptop similar to using an oversized tablet. Bear in mind that all Apple 
computers made in the last 4 years will run any of the new software. I have 
an iMac, a Mac Pro laptop, and an 11" Macbook Air, all of which will run the 
new stuff. If there is enough memory you can load several of the various 
operating systems on the same computer. My iMac contains Yosemite, (OS 
10.10.3), Mavericks (OS 10.9.5), Snow Leopard (OS 10.6.8), and Mac OS 10.5. 
An old 12" Aluminum Powerbook has OS 10.4. Unfortunately my 65000 picture 
iPhoto file must be updated for each computer and will not run at all on 
Yosemite Photo.
        Remember, Yosemite is available now for free at the App Store. El 
Capitan will be available for downloading in the fall. The more apps and 
features you have on a computer, the slower it runs. Yosemite is a nice 
program but it is no speed demon. El Capitan should speed it up a bit. Still 
my personal preference for a Mac OS is Snow Leopard. It is reliable, fast, 
and I know how to use it. Too bad not much new stuff is made for it any more.


Larry Z