Temperature Monitor App

pigoo3

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I've used & recommended to others (many times) the free temperature monitoring app (Temperature Monitor). So I was checking it out last night...and came across this:

Temperature Monitor: Description

With the message:

"This product has end-of-life status as of August 1, 2014 and is no longer in active development. Product support and advertizing will end on October 1, 2014.

Apple is using several technical and organizational means with each new hardware and operating system generation that try to further hinder applications which query sensor values during system operation. Unfortunately, the resulting fight against these measures has become as costly in the meanwhile that continuing development of a gratis application for sensor monitoring is no longer practicable."


Kind of sad that a nice free useful app like this is going away.:(

- Nick
 
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chas_m

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It was never actually needed in the first place, so it will not be missed.

Why people continue to believe that Apple "forgot" to handle cooling the Mac and that user oversight is needed remains a mystery on par with "why do people keep pressing the 'close door' button in elevators?"
 
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pigoo3

pigoo3

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Wow…that's a pretty negative and narrow-minded response. Temperature monitoring apps (or any other sort of app that monitors how anything operates)…can come in handy for many reasons. Some of us just like to have:

- info on how the computer is running differently under different conditions (curiosity)
- info on how a computer runs in different environments (Summer vs. Winter temps). Air conditioned room vs. non-airconditioned.
- info on how a clean vs. dirty computer runs differently
- to see if installing an SSD can have any positive temp. changes
- to see how installing a 2nd HD or SSD in the optical drive slot changes things
- if someone is running a desktop Mac Pro to see haw installing more video cards, more HD's, etc. changes things
- if someone tries a laptop cooling stand/product…to see if it makes a difference (before vs. after)
- to see if a notebook/laptop runs cooler in "regular mode" (display open) or "clamshell mode"
- many temp monitoring apps also monitor fan rpm's. And knowing fan rpm's can also come in handy when troubleshooting
- etc.

Without a temp. monitoring app…we would not be able to make any data driven inferences or conclusions about our computers. It's about having more information to make informed decisions…and not relying solely on big brother (Apple) to do everything for us.

If this sort of logic was followed in other areas…then automobiles would only have a speedometer gauge. No amp/volt gauges…no oil pressure gauges...no temp. gauge, etc.

The bottom line. The purpose of Temp monitoring apps are far from just being about monitoring max. temps & preventing overheating. Sure…Apple is supposed to have built in safeguards to prevent a computer from overheating and causing damage…but that doesn't mean that being able to monitor these parameters is not fun (curiosity) or important to do for other reasons that have nothing to do with overheating.

- Nick
 
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chas_m

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I certainly grant you that there are legit reasons to be curious about it, but in normal use and for normal users there is NO NEED for a temperature monitor. I'm more than a little tired of explaining to people who install one that 1) no your computer isn't overheating, 2) yes I know 78C seems very hot *to you* but its perfectly normal 3) no you don't need to install a fan override program, 4) your fans are not malfunctioning, they're just quiet ... etc etc etc.

It's just like those #*! fan programs ... people used to recommend them around here *constantly* but as it turns out they just mask issues and cause confusion ... though yes, there is always some one-percent that had a specific desire to test something and could find that useful.

There are plenty of alternative apps for those who genuinely feel they would like to explore the "fun" of checking their Macs temperatures ... I have had iStat Pro as a widget for years and it offers a temp gauge (though I don't use it for that). I understand its modestly-priced payware now but if one is interested, that would be my pick.
 
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pigoo3

pigoo3

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...for normal users there is NO NEED for a temperature monitor.

I agree with you.:)

I'm more than a little tired of explaining to people who install one that 1) no your computer isn't overheating, 2) yes I know 78C seems very hot *to you* but its perfectly normal 3) no you don't need to install a fan override program, 4) your fans are not malfunctioning, they're just quiet ... etc etc etc.

I agree with you again.:) But we will always have new users who won't be privy to all of the threads we have responded to in the past regarding temp. concerns. So more than likely…we will need to continue to respond to theses threads.

It's just like those #*! fan programs ... people used to recommend them around here *constantly* but as it turns out they just mask issues and cause confusion ... though yes, there is always some one-percent that had a specific desire to test something and could find that useful.

And I mostly agree with you a 3rd time.:) I don't think that the fan control apps are very useful. But occasionally they can be handy. Especially with iMac's in the 2009-2011 timeframe that have proprietary hard drive setups…where Apple made it very difficult to replace standard 3.5" HD's when the go kaput.

There are plenty of alternative apps for those who genuinely feel they would like to explore the "fun" of checking their Macs temperatures ... I have had iStat Pro as a widget for years and it offers a temp gauge (though I don't use it for that). I understand its modestly-priced payware now but if one is interested, that would be my pick.

This was one of my points of posting this thread. "Temperature Monitor" was still free. And when we get new or existing members with a temp question…or possibly an issue related to temps (like a dirty machine or a faulty fan). It's nice to be able to point folks to a free temp. app. that they can install…then post for us the data…so we can help them solve or understand the problem.:) Without "Temperature Monitor" (or other free apps like it)…we have fewer & fewer tools at our disposal to help folks with.

I also don't feel that there are "plenty if alternatives"…and certainly not "plenty" of FREE alternatives. Even the example you gave now costs money.

Maybe some folks feel that Temperature Monitor (and apps like it) are not useful or necessary. I'm betting that many many more folks do find it is a useful app…and if it's also free…that's win-win for us users.:) "Knowledge is Power". Knowing what the computers temp is can be useful.

If a computer is working 100% fine…sure…a temp. app is not needed. Just like if a:

- television is working fine
- automobile is working fine
- refrigerator is working fine
- home heating system is working fine
- etc.

It's when things start going south (not working fine) is when it's nice to have some diagnostic tools.:)

The main reason why I posted this thread was not for someone to jump all over it in a negative way…saying it's an unnecessary app…and that no one should ever have to be concerned about the temp of their Apple computer.

I posted the thread because I thought that it was sad for a nice useful app. to go away (yes I happen to think that it's a useful app).:) If the link or quote above is read…the developer explains that Apple is doing things with the Mac OS & the Apple hardware making it difficult for the further development of Temperature Monitor to continue.

This is one of the few app. developers that for years & years…has provided us with a very useful app for free….and now it's going away…and not because the developer didn't want to continue developing it…or didn't want to continue to provide it for free.

- Nick
 
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just to look at it another way.... Smart ***** way. Gauges were installed in cars to make them cheaper to sell. Gauges were construed to be worthless unless the driver knew how to read them. Now they put idiot lights in cars. engines aren't any good by the time the oil pressure light comes on. Some cars have both. Hmmmm.
 

chscag

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I agree with Nick. Many times a new user (and even some old timers) will post a question about their Mac getting too hot. Well, that's fine; but how hot is it really getting? By directing them to download a free temperature app, it allows them to get back to us with the actual temperature. Perhaps the temp they're experiencing is normal and well within the limits set by Apple. In that case we can inform them of that and ease their mind.

I for one (and I'm sure Nick will also) will continue to advise users who have questions about temperatures in their Mac, to download a free monitoring app and let us know what the actual temperatures are.
 

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