Apple announces macOS Sierra, replacing OS X, and improvements to Photos

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jun/13/apple-wwdc-keynote-key-points-at-a-glance

and

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jun/13/mac-os-sierra-apple-os-x-siri-desktop-wwdc

In case our good friends from around the world are wondering about "MacOS Sierra", the name is from the famous "Sierra Nevada" mountain range in California.

Lots of interesting stuff in this years keynote address. Fell asleep during part of it and will have to replay it. I'' be discussing some of the more important stuff in tonight's chat in about half an hour.

Ha, ha! I suggested the possibility of Siri being introduced to OSX in a recent post regarding the Mac's poor system process progress feedback. eg no progress bar in Time Machine when "Preparing Backup". I was only joking really when I said, maybe if we had Siri in OSX we could just ask how it was progressing. One of our members (you know who you are) replied, nooo, not OSX Siri! Looks like it's come to fruition already, but I guess it was inevitable.

And for anyone curious. Here's some early indications what models "Sierra" will be compatible with (not official yet):

iMac: Late 2009 or newer
MacBook: Late 2009 or newer
MacBook Air: Late 2010 or newer
MacBook Pro: Mid 2010 or newer
Mac Mini: Mid 2010 or newer
Mac Pro: Mid 2010 or newer

- Nick

Thanks for that info Nick. I guess I'll just have to leave my MacBook Pro on El Capitan.

BTW I saw the demo of universal clipboard and thought "Why haven't we been able to do this all along"?

All the other OSes use numbers to designate the difference, when will macOS follow suit? The don't need the 10 (X) anymore, just go with the numbers and no more names. Too confusing.

I doubt that Apple will start doing that. I've been using Macs regularly since operating system 7.1 and they have always done that. The difference is that, prior to OS X, the names were generally only used internally and sometimes by some of the Mac magazines. I think if they were going to change that, they would've done so by now.

Well, I'm halfway to downloading Sierra onto lightening bolt EHD, should be an interesting experience to try.

ferrarr said:

All the other OSes use numbers to designate the difference, when will macOS follow suit? The don't need the 10 (X) anymore, just go with the numbers and no more names. Too confusing.

Click to expand...

According to one source, the new OS will be "macOS Sierra" - http://osxdaily.com/2016/06/13/maco...mail&utm_campaign=Feed:+osxdaily+(OS+X+Daily)

According to another, it will be "macOS 10.12 Sierra" - http://tidbits.com/article/16569

Of course, as another commentator said "it's just another blooming mountain"

Ian

chscag said:

In case our good friends from around the world are wondering about "MacOS Sierra", the name is from the famous "Sierra Nevada" mountain range in California.

Click to expand...

We have sierras in Europe too! And other parts of the world but I realise it would be named after the Californian range. Spanish word.

Did anyone catch the plans for a new file system too?

http://www.techrepublic.com/article...e01923b&bhid=24667049261440535164629482566316

It seems it will only be usable on storage drives as, "you cannot use an APFS volume as a startup disk, as a Time Machine volume, or as part of a Fusion Drive. FileVault encryption will not work on it, either. APFS formatted volumes won't work on OS X 10.11 Yosemite and earlier."

Lisa

I certainly missed that. I bet we get tons of posts from users who don't understand the pros / cons of this type of encryption. Given what you can't use it for I will be curious to see how many people rush to adopt it.

Lisa, I must say that I'm always impressed by the depth of your knowledge and the way you pick up on things.

Reading your linked article, not all of which I fully understand:Blushing: , there are changes afoot which look like impacting on the way we use our Macs. Thank you for your diligence.

Ian

Regarding the new file system. Just one of those "thangs".

Like other changes over the years. Go with the flow (changes)…or keep using older OS version's as long as you can or need to.

- Nick

I guess what surprised me was that the new APFS is offering improved support for SSD and yet you can not use it on the startup drive - which is where most of us will have an SSD. I gather it is just for storage drives. So that means HFS+ will still be around for the foreseeable future.

But Nick is right, it is just one of those "thangs".

One of the things I have had to get use to is Apple's yearly offering of new OS versions. In the world of Windows there are several years between major OS versions - and tons and tons and tons of updates in between.

Lisa

lclev said:

But Nick is right, it is just one of those "thangs".

Click to expand...

LOL : )

One of the things I have had to get use to is Apple's yearly offering of new OS versions. In the world of Windows there are several years between major OS versions - and tons and tons and tons of updates in between.

Click to expand...

This storage format change is probably a little more significant than the average change Apple normally makes. But not as big a thing as in the past…when in the:

- Late 1990's when Apple moved from the Motorola 68000 series CPU's to the Apple-IBM-Motorola PowerPC CPU's (G3, G4, G5 CPU's).
- Early 2000's when Apple moved from the original Mac OS (now called "Classic")…to Mac OS X.
- 2006…when we switched from PowerPC CPU's to Intel CPU's.

Although these switch's came with a transition period. Basically Apple told us that all our investment in the previous format (hardware & software) was akin to obsolete/trash…and we all had to reinvest in the "new stuff"…like it or not.

Of course it's very easy to look back on things now…and see that these transition's weren't nearly as sudden or shocking as it felt when they were first announced. But at the time of these changes/announcements…many of us were "floored" with the prospect of having to completely repurchase our software libraries…and almost felt like we immediately had to run-out & spend $2000+ for a new computer (each time this happened)!!!

- Nick

chscag said:

In case our good friends from around the world are wondering about "MacOS Sierra", the name is from the famous "Sierra Nevada" mountain range in California.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the confirmation info and I was just assuming that was the case, and also thinking that they may have been avoiding using any earthquake zone name if there is such a similar one!!! Sure wouldn't want to have any sort of association for a new macOS.

Rod Sprague said:

Ha, ha! I suggested the possibility of Siri being introduced to OSX in a recent post regarding the Mac's poor system process progress feedback. eg no progress bar in Time Machine when "Preparing Backup". I was only joking really when I said, maybe if we had Siri in OSX we could just ask how it was progressing. One of our members (you know who you are) replied, nooo, not OSX Siri! Looks like it's come to fruition already, but I guess it was inevitable.

Click to expand...

Gee, amazing what some members can say, but they were probably imagining some of the Siri expressions that would be announced and made the remark in jest… but you knew that right.

Sort of like some comments some people make if and when I might use dictation etc… and maybe I should just put up a sign like this:

I get the need for change and obviously Apple has had to make changes to keep themselves competitive. Sierra does not sound like huge upgrade. We will get some neat features and the new drive formatting system looks like it does not have to be used. I tend to love change and playing with new features. I will be happy as long as my current girls can run the new versions.

Now when they can't and I have to buy new computers. ..... I get to go shopping!!!

Lisa