Apple preparing for first external betas of OS X 10.7.4
Apple is wrapping up work on its next performance and maintenance update for the Lion operating system, as OS X 10.7.4 will soon make its way to developers for testing.
People familiar with the software update say that a pre-release build of OS X 10.7.4 will be released to a limited number of developers within days. A wider release to all members of the Apple Developer Connection is likely to take place by week's end.
Exactly what enhancements or fixes will be contained in the OS X 10.7.4 update remain unknown. Apple typically releases a number of beta builds to developers for testing before an update to OS X is released to the public.
The previously unannounced update to Lion was mistakenly referenced last week on Apple's official website, following the launch of iPhoto for iOS. The official site noted that the software was compatible with the latest version of iPhoto for Mac, which it said required a system running OS X 10.7.4 or later.
The last update to Lion, OS X 10.7.3, was released to the public in early February. It mainly addressed bugs, but brought a handful of new features like support for new languages, Wi-Fi connectivity fixes and Windows file sharing compatibility.
The forthcoming OS X 10.7.4 is likely to be one of the last updates to Lion before its follow-up, Mountain Lion, becomes publicly available. OS X 10.8 is scheduled to launch this summer on the Mac App Store packing over 100 new features, including Messages, Notes, Reminders, Game Center, Twitter integration, Notification Center, and AirPlay Mirroring.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
Comments
"One of the last"? What does that mean? ML isn't due until late summer, and it's just mid March.
I can't see them getting much farther than 10.7.6 by late summer, so one of the last sounds about right.
"One of the last"? What does that mean? ML isn't due until late summer, and it's just mid March.
Plus, with yearly updates I can see them extended the point update out a little farther past the new OS release than normal... unless they change the Mac accounting and start offering major Mac OS updates for free. There is certainly a case to be made that it would help Macs sales and reduce support costs.
I'm wondering at this point if the Mountain Lion Developer preview wouldn't be an improvement. I realize its usually a terrible idea to run beta software on a production environment, but I'm reminded that the early Windows 7 beta's were preferable to the then current builds of Vista.
As Microsoft eventually gave up on Vista, it appears that Apple has given up on Lion. I'm shocked that they are just now releasing test builds of 10.7.4, considering all the problems they've had with 10.7.3. Its clear that iOS and Mountain Lion are the priorities and have pushed Lion maintenance to the back burner.
Personally I'm at wits end with Lion's instability. It's generally slow, it swaps excessively and doesn't seem to reuse swap space, very often is doesn't hibernate properly ( I know hibernation isn't in the UI, but it is documented and it worked with SL ) and its got that idiotic "resume windows" feature that can't be disabled. I know that I can select deselect "reopen windows" when shutting down, but when Lion crashes, a frequent occurrence, it defaults to "reopen windows". I can't even speak about the instabilities with iCAL and Address book because I don't use those features. I'd downgrade to Snow Leopard in a second if I could do so without disabling iCloud, iPhoto and God knows what else.
I'm wondering at this point if the Mountain Lion Developer preview wouldn't be an improvement. I realize its usually a terrible idea to run beta software on a production environment, but I'm reminded that the early Windows 7 beta's were preferable to the then current builds of Vista.
As Microsoft eventually gave up on Vista, it appears that Apple has given up on Lion. I'm shocked that they are just now releasing test builds of 10.7.4, considering all the problems they've had with 10.7.3. Its clear that iOS and Mountain Lion are the priorities and have pushed Lion maintenance to the back burner.
I do agree there needs to be a way to make it NOT to re-open after a crash ... I did once get in a viscious loop but solved it with a safe boot but it took a while. I'd like that as an option in the System or Finder prefs ... i.e. 'Don't reopen by default but still ask me in case I'd like it ...'
Otherwise I have had far less issues since the last update. Before that I hadn't updated Little Snitch, once that was done a lot of things improved. So far the latest iteration is pretty stable for me on both a 2010 i7 MBP and a 2011 i5 MBP. So I think if you have so many problems you should look else where for the reason, it seems a few people have had many issues but all those I know were traced to third party apps and system level patches. Some of course are anti-Apple trolls making stuff up.
I do agree there needs to be a way to make it NOT to re-open after a crash ... I did once get in a viscious loop but solved it with a safe boot but it took a while. I like that an option in the System or Finder prefs ... i.e. 'Don't reopen by default but still ask me in case I'd like it ...'
Otherwise I have had far less issues since the last update. Before that I hadn't updated Little Snitch, once that was done a lot of things improved. So far the latest iteration is pretty stable for me on both a 2010 i7 MBP and a 2011 i5 MBP.
Thats another thing; how do you get Lion to safe boot ? One of the many problems I have with Lion is that it ignores the pre-boot keyboard options on my 2011 13" MBP such as "Shift" for safe boot and "Command S" for single user. I've found that I need reFIT to use boot options, but that breaks hibernation. Even if I get it to Safe Boot, what good does it do ? Once I do a normal boot it tries to reload everything.
Personally I'm at wits end with Lion's instability. It's generally slow, it swaps excessively and doesn't seem to reuse swap space, very often is doesn't hibernate properly
you got a driver or extension issue.... Hibernation issues are a dead giveaway. Take a look at all your third party stuff...
Thats another thing; how do you get Lion to safe boot ? One of the many problems I have with Lion is that it ignores the pre-boot keyboard options on my 2011 13" MBP such as "Shift" for safe boot and "Command S" for single user.
ok, I wonder if you don't have a more systemic hardware issue - I haven't seen that on a Mini, Mac Pro, MBP or MBA...
Apple is wrapping up work on its next performance and maintenance update for the Lion operating system
You woke me from a drunken stupor for this?
Call me when the iBots take a break from figuring out how to implant phones in their Redbull-rotted molars, and actually fix some of the Finder's myriad infuriating bugs, migraine-inducing idiocies, and lost (excuse me, "upgraded") functionality which, by the way, are the reason I was drunk in the first place.
I dread Mountain Lion. If Lion is any example, they'll throw out the purr and keep the fleas. Keeping a bottle of Jack next the screen won't be enough anymore. From what I've read, it's going to take a vile of crack to remain cheerful in the face of ML's many improvements.
I always knew computers would kill me, but I used to picture my head exploding from the marvel of it all, not this slow, pathetic suicide by degrees. How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless metanational ruin one's virtual life.
Feh. You want ice in that?
I can't see them getting much farther than 10.7.6 by late summer, so one of the last sounds about right.
Well that's a first, incorrectly using 'farther' where 'further' should be used.
'Farther' when speaking of physical distance, 'further' everywhere else.
Plus, with yearly updates I can see them extended the point update out a little farther past the new OS release than normal.
Yeah you too, 'further' not 'farther'! Who taught you kids English?
Thats another thing; how do you get Lion to safe boot ? One of the many problems I have with Lion is that it ignores the pre-boot keyboard options on my 2011 13" MBP such as "Shift" for safe boot and "Command S" for single user. I've found that I need reFIT to use boot options, but that breaks hibernation. Even if I get it to Safe Boot, what good does it do ? Once I do a normal boot it tries to reload everything.
Given the problems you describe, you either have some sort of incompatible third party extension installed, or potentially have some sort of hardware failure. If you run the Console Application in the Utilities folder, you can look at the system crash reports and get an idea of what may be causing the crash. Out of habit, I suggest that you also run disk Utility to Verify Permissions, but that is unlikely to help in this particular case. Given the number of crashes you report, it is likely that there is some corruption to files on your file system. For this, I suggest you boot to the Recovery disk (hold down Option while you boot) and use Disk Utility to verify the disk (Repair Disk option in this case).
And finally, you may also save those crash logs and send them to Apple at bugreports.apple.com, they are looked at.
ok, I wonder if you don't have a more systemic hardware issue - I haven't seen that on a Mini, Mac Pro, MBP or MBA...
I'm wondering the same thing. The machine that Lion is really giving me trouble on is my early 2011 13" MBP with onboard Nvidia graphics. I've even tried a number of clean reinstalls of Lion. My older pre-unibody 15" MPB's have had less trouble, however they have discreet video cards.I wonder if , like Windows Vista, Lion has an issue with on board graphics.
Aside from that all three of my MBP's have had issues such as slow performance as compared to SL, poorer wireless connectivity than SL and much poorer VPN connectivity than SL.