Apple ends physical media OS distribution with Mountain Lion

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  • Reply 41 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by backtomac View Post


    Yeah thats my problem. I have 6 work stations and one server at my office. Whats the best way to upgrade all these machines? Even .x updates can take hours on the weekend.



    Download once, burn a disc, install from the disc.



    Though you can only legally have five installs, I believe.
  • Reply 42 of 110
    blah64blah64 Posts: 993member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post


    Good. Nice to see Apple is the only one that has the balls to push forward against physical media. Everyone else will follow-suit eventually...



    My first inclination is to rudely question your intelligence, but I'll refrain. Sort of.



    What is the benefit to you, or anyone else, of limiting options for other people? Why is this such a good thing that you actively want to block others from purchasing an Apple product in the manner in which they prefer? It's stupid comments like these that really piss me off.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iDave View Post


    Pity the people still on dial-up.



    Absolutely. As others have mentioned, if you live in a metropolitan area, you probably don't have a clue as to how many people are still limited to dial-up or perhaps low speed DSL.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by I am a Zither Zather Zuzz View Post


    They can simply take the bus to the nearest Apple Store and use WiFi. Problem solved. They can make a party out of it and go with all of their friends.



    I'm pretty sure you're just being sarcastic, but if not, same as above. There are millions of people in this country, let alone other countries, where the nearest Apple store is not within a reasonable drive, especially just to upgrade your OS. At least with a thumb drive available they can have it shipped out.



    ----



    But here's the biggie. How is someone who doesn't use plastic supposed to buy ML? Seriously. If I can't go to a local store and plunk down my $29 or $69 or whatever and walk out with my own copy of the OS that's not imprinted with some personal goddam "AppleID", then they've lost a sale. I'll pirate the damn thing. And I don't say that lightly, because I really, really want to support companies like Apple that put out high quality products. I'm happy to pay money for great products!



    What about teens? They can't own a credit card. So now they can't upgrade their OS without a parent using their card and having the parent's personal information tied to their kid's computer?



    Having the OPTION to purchase, download and install an OS purely online is a great option. Yes, unlike Slurpy, I think having choices that are useful for people other than myself is a good idea. But limiting to only online purchases is a terrible, terrible idea. I hope they get enough public flack to reconsider this policy.
  • Reply 43 of 110
    blah64blah64 Posts: 993member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iDave View Post


    All good points. And I suppose since I don't like, need, trust or want iCloud, I should never update my operating system. Good thing, because I don't particularly care for iOS anyway and it looks like Mac OS X will soon BE iOS. Put me in the EXTREMELY small minority, even though I do have broadband.



    I'm also in the minority, but I agree with some of this as well (although I DO like much of what iOS offers on a portable device). I have very little interest in most of what ML will offer. No interest in any of the cloud stuff whatsoever. I don't want my shit sitting on other people's servers. Period. My life doesn't belong to Apple any more than fricking Facebook or Google. My computer, my life, my data. End of story.



    What I do like is the AirPlay Mirroring, which I've been wanting for a long time, although I'll need to see what the requirements are (i.e. no fucking AppleID or live connection to the net required!). I just want to play family home movies (and the occasional rip) from my laptop to the big screen. Also, better Notes/Reminders is great - but only local, not in the damn cloud. And as a shareholder I'm very happy to see the improved features for Chinese users because I think it will help sell a lot more units.



    Does anyone know if there's a utility that will easily point any of these tools to a privately hosted server, rather than iCloud? Does iCloud use standard protocols, like WebDAV, etc., so someone could potentially host their own private server for syncing a couple devices?
  • Reply 44 of 110
    misamisa Posts: 827member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Blah64 View Post


    But here's the biggie. How is someone who doesn't use plastic supposed to buy ML? Seriously. ...



    What about teens? They can't own a credit card. So now they can't upgrade their OS without a parent using their card and having the parent's personal information tied to their kid's computer?



    I'm assuming for starters that you live in the US and not some place in Africa where internet is hard to get, or Australia where rural internet is provided by 2G speed GSM networks.



    The credit card question is obvious, go buy a prepaid card with the cash.



    As for physical media, usb drives, etc. A dial-up modem or 2G GSM can download 480MB/day, a full DVD will be downloaded in 8 days. But GSM networks are often super-expensive (5 cents per KB, no thank you.) It's VERY cheap to mail a USB stick in the mail, much cheaper than sending a DVD. I imagine that Apple will simply make USB drives available on demand (eg "ship me a backup of this software product on a USB drive for 10$") Considering that you can buy 8GB drives for 10$.
  • Reply 45 of 110
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Blah64 View Post


    What I do like is the AirPlay Mirroring, which I've been wanting for a long time, although I'll need to see what the requirements are (i.e. no fucking AppleID or live connection to the net required!). I just want to play family home movies (and the occasional rip) from my laptop to the big screen. Also, better Notes/Reminders is great - but only local, not in the damn cloud. And as a shareholder I'm very happy to see the improved features for Chinese users because I think it will help sell a lot more units.



    There is no requirement to use an iCloud ID!
  • Reply 46 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    The person in charge of IT should know how this works or you need to get a new person to run the IT. You DL it once and you can even burn the installer to a SL-DVD (at least with Lion you can), a USB flash drive, a HDD, or just keep on a network share, all using just Disk Utility. You can even have one Mac run OS X Server and all the app and OS updates can come from it. It's a cake walk for IT.



    This is all listed as "unsupported" hack by apple. We have the same issue. We have to upgrade 54 XServes which do have 10.6 server to 10.7 and we can't even get an install media for 10.7 server. We can only downgrade from Server to Desktop and then upgrade to server again or we have to expose the private servers to the "evil" public internet. And no, the update servers which redistribute locally do not redistribute Apple store items. Only software update items. This really sucks in the corporate environment.



    And today I had the luck of playing with <unreleased> software and had a kernel panic when booting it the first time (well its beta so no blame there) but going back to 10.7 release was a major issue. Recovery boot partition: doesnt show up as boot option. Recovery USB stick (done with APple's tool) not an option too. I wonder how you want to reinstall MacOS X when you are in a hotel in the middle of africa and you just screwed up your OS. And yes this happens. Even if the hotel might have super fast internet so it only takes 30 minutes to download, you are still screwed because hotel WLAN's require web authentication before you can use them.



    In other words it's a MUST to have a proper install media. Think of privacy as well. You can not purchase a mac anymore without Apple knowing who you are and what software you buy. Pretty scary too.



    For me, I have no problem purchasing MacOS X and install media on USB stick even at a premium price. But there must be an option not a hack such as 10.7 server upgrade which simply doesn't exist.
  • Reply 47 of 110
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by afink View Post


    This is all listed as "unsupported" hack by apple. We have the same issue. We have to upgrade 54 XServes which do have 10.6 server to 10.7 and we can't even get an install media for 10.7 server. We can only downgrade from Server to Desktop and then upgrade to server again or we have to expose the private servers to the "evil" public internet. And no, the update servers which redistribute locally do not redistribute Apple store items. Only software update items. This really sucks in the corporate environment.



    And today I had the luck of playing with <unreleased> software and had a kernel panic when booting it the first time (well its beta so no blame there) but going back to 10.7 release was a major issue. Recovery boot partition: doesnt show up as boot option. Recovery USB stick (done with APple's tool) not an option too. I wonder how you want to reinstall MacOS X when you are in a hotel in the middle of africa and you just screwed up your OS. And yes this happens. Even if the hotel might have super fast internet so it only takes 30 minutes to download, you are still screwed because hotel WLAN's require web authentication before you can use them.



    In other words it's a MUST to have a proper install media. Think of privacy as well. You can not purchase a mac anymore without Apple knowing who you are and what software you buy. Pretty scary too.



    For me, I have no problem purchasing MacOS X and install media on USB stick even at a premium price. But there must be an option not a hack such as 10.7 server upgrade which simply doesn't exist.



    It's not a hack and not unsupported.
    Quote:

    If you have several Macs on your network and are worried about Lion’s lack of restore media (and if, for some reason, you don’t want to make your own restore DVD or USB stick as we discussed in our Lion review), the NetBoot service provides you with one of the few supported methods for getting around it.



    All you need to do is keep a copy of the Lion installer downloaded from the App Store. As long as you’ve got it stored somewhere on a drive that is readable by the computer, you can fire up the System Image Utility and see it listed as an image source.







    And what's with this crap about "proper install media". It's amazing you guys take the time to post about what you perceive as an impenetrable problem but can't take a second to actually find a solutions.
  • Reply 48 of 110
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Download once, burn a disc, install from the disc.



    Though you can only legally have five installs, I believe.



    Thanks.
  • Reply 49 of 110
    razorpitrazorpit Posts: 1,796member
    I wish Apple would release ML tomorrow so all those who claim they are going to jump ship to Linux do so. I mean seriously, after reading the comments on this thread it is unbelievable how helpless some people are. If you can't figure out how to upgrade your system with all the resources now available, good luck figuring out Linux or whatever your plans are... It's not like you're going walk in to a Walley World and pickup a copy of Ubuntu, but alas I'm feeding the trolls...
  • Reply 50 of 110
    Just because Apple won't distribute Mountain Lion on physical media, you will still be able to install it from a flash drive, just like Lion.



    You simply extract the downloaded file, make some changes to your flash drive in Disk Utility, and copy the files over.





    [EDIT: DVD's will also work, but I don't know why anyone would use a DVD instead of a flash drive, especially with flash drive prices so low.]
  • Reply 51 of 110
    Apple used to make your life easy. Now they make it more difficult. Snow Leopard is going to to be Apple's Windows XP.
  • Reply 52 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by utahnguy View Post


    [EDIT: DVD's will also work, but I don't know why anyone would use a DVD instead of a flash drive, especially with flash drive prices so low.]



    An SL-DVD is still cheaper by an excessive factor. I could walk into many office building and have a stranger give me a blank DVD but I don't think I could do that with a flash drive.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mike Fix View Post


    Apple used to make your life easy. Now they make it more difficult. Snow Leopard is going to to be Apple's Windows XP.



    Could you elaborate how Apple has made your life more difficult?
  • Reply 53 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mike Fix View Post


    Apple used to make your life easy. Now they make it more difficult. Snow Leopard is going to to be Apple's Windows XP.



    That does a great job of summarizing my complaint.



    It isn't a big deal to me to pay $40 or $100 for physical media at a local store if my computer crashes when I am traveling. Downloading 4GB over a slow, unreliable Internet connection might not be an option sometimes.
  • Reply 54 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aaarrrgggh View Post


    That does a great job of summarizing my complaint.



    It isn't a big deal to me to pay $40 or $100 for physical media at a local store if my computer crashes when I am traveling. Downloading 4GB over a slow, unreliable Internet connection might not be an option sometimes.



    PayPal me $40 and I'll send you Lion on a DVD.
  • Reply 55 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mike Fix View Post


    Apple used to make your life easy. Now they make it more difficult. Snow Leopard is going to to be Apple's Windows XP.



    I supposed comparisons to MSFT is the new meme.



    "Lion is Apple's Vista"



    First i've read about Snow Leopard being Apple's XP though. I'll be sure to credit you on this in the future



    Funny though I remember Snow Leopard being panned as featureless cash grab. Now it's revered by some people.
  • Reply 56 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hmurchison View Post


    I supposed comparisons to MSFT is the new meme.



    "Lion is Apple's Vista"



    First i've read about Snow Leopard being Apple's XP though. I'll be sure to credit you on this in the future



    Funny though I remember Snow Leopard being panned as featureless cash grab. Now it's revered by some people.



    It seems you go back two Mac OS releases and it's the cherished one.
  • Reply 57 of 110
    This is a non-issue to most really. What? Are we still living in the pass? I personally, would want to get rid of physical media altogether. Wasting of space. You just download it once and store in on a HDD. Simples. If you have a slow internet, then plenty of alternatives if you don't want to go with the flow. For example, use your friends' faster internet or use your local Apple store (or reseller, or public library if all fails) to download yours.



    I do though like the OS X thumb drive. An iconic design in itself.
  • Reply 58 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by WardC View Post


    I like having the System Install on physical media, simply as a back-up copy or a last-case scenario in case my entire system crashes, etc, I lose a hard drive, and have to re-install, etc.



    IN the case the at all else fails and I do not have an internet connection, I want some sort of backup on hand. That's why I always thought it was important to have the System Discs for any Mac I bought, new or used...very important.



    reading the thread? It's no wonder it has taken Apple so long to start killing off optical media when it takes folks so long to grasp the fact that the disc you get is arbitrary. There isn't anything inherently special about an optical disc. It contains the same data as your own, homemade backup of the OS would.



    In case anyone else here hasn't gathered that, please, stop clinging to your shiny objects and join Apple in the current century.
  • Reply 59 of 110
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Blah64 View Post


    What is the benefit to you, or anyone else, of limiting options for other people? Why is this such a good thing that you actively want to block others from purchasing an Apple product in the manner in which they prefer?



    I'm sure if Apple had offered OS X 10.2 Jaguar in a box made of actual jaguar fur, that would have appealed to some people. I'm still glad they didn't though.



    Producing and distributing physical media is a resource-intensive practice. I'm glad to see Apple moving away from that.



    .tsooJ
  • Reply 60 of 110
    blah64blah64 Posts: 993member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Misa View Post


    The credit card question is obvious, go buy a prepaid card with the cash.



    No, it's not obvious unless you've done it personally and know for a fact it works. Most places I've tried to order something from online (with electronic delivery) DO NOT work with pre-paid cards. I don't know why, and it's quite frustrating. My sample size is relatively small, but I'd say 3/4 of what I've tried did not work because the card was not accepted.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Misa View Post


    As for physical media, usb drives, etc. A dial-up modem or 2G GSM can download 480MB/day, a full DVD will be downloaded in 8 days. But GSM networks are often super-expensive (5 cents per KB, no thank you.) It's VERY cheap to mail a USB stick in the mail, much cheaper than sending a DVD. I imagine that Apple will simply make USB drives available on demand (eg "ship me a backup of this software product on a USB drive for 10$") Considering that you can buy 8GB drives for 10$.



    For many, the point of not using plastic is anonymity, to stay out of databases, etc. Shipping requires giving contact info, including a physical shipping address, so no, not happening. Not to mention that each copy acquired digitally very likely has an ID record embedded in some encrypted way in the product itself. The only way you can guarantee a "clean" copy of any software is to buy a physical copy via retail. I'm perfectly happy to walk into a store, hand them my money and get a product; if that's not possible I don't believe I'm left with an acceptable option to purchase -- at any price.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post


    I think this correct in that the USB drive was a poor seller and that Apple will likely not push it with ML, but I seem to recall Apple saying that Lion would be exclusive to the Mac App Store, too, before later having a USB thumb drive version available for sale.



    I very strongly hope this is what ends up happening. Many people are obviously fine with digital distribution, but there are a few cases where it's moderately-to-incredibly cumbersome. Personally, I would almost certainly just live with my current OS until I was forced to upgrade machines.
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