Apple is making it more difficult to ignore update notifications

[chscag]

Apple Making It Harder to Avoid Nagging macOS Update Notifications | MacRumors Forums

 

[krs]

I always looked as an "update" as a bug fix issue and maybe some minor feature enhancements on the current OS,
and an "upgrade" as the next versionof the OS with ahandful of new features.

At least that how my company handled that which develops hardware and software for internet routers and switches.

But I noticed lately that Apple wants to "update" my Mac running Mojave - and the update is not 10.14.7 which is what I expected, but Catalina.
Right now I'm politely saying, thanks, but no thanks.
Seems there is a possibility I might wake up some morning and my Mini could be running Catalina with half my apps (the 32-bit ones) no longer functional.
I sure hope Apple wouldn't be stupid enough to do that, but is there a way to block that if they tried other than turning off WiFi?

 

[chscag]

I sure hope Apple wouldn't be stupid enough to do that, but is there a way to block that if they tried other than turning off WiFi?

Apple is not going to force an update on you. However, it appears that the nagging to update can not be turned off as before by using a terminal command. But as always, someone will find a way to work around that and then post it in a forum or on the net.

 

[MacInWin]

@krs, don't be paranoid about it. All the article really says is that Apple is making it harder to get rid of the red flag for an update being there, not that there is any forced update. Windows does that, but so far Apple has not. Turning off Wifi (assuming you have no ethernet connection) will stop any downloads, but will also stop any access to the Internet. Turn it back on and the nag will resume. And if Apple goes to automatic installation of updates, the update will be initiated as soon as connectivty is restored. So, basically, there isn't much to worry about or much you can do about it if you want Internet access. But that is not how Apple does things, at least so far. And if they change, the protests will be loud and long, you can count on that!

 

[pm-r]

I don't know if this will help any of those so afflicted...???:

How to Disable Red Badge Circle on System Preferences in MacOS

This article will show you how you can hide and disable the red updates badge from appearing on the System Preferences icon in the Dock on modern macOS releases including Mojave and Catalina.

OS X Daily - News and Tips for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Everything Apple
- Page 2




- Patrick
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[chscag]

Patrick:

It doesn't work very well. As soon as you reboot or another update appears, the badge returns. I know... I tried many times when I was running Mojave and before I was able to update my last critical app to 64 bit.

 

[pm-r]

Patrick:

It doesn't work very well. As soon as you reboot or another update appears, the badge returns. I know... I tried many times when I was running Mojave and before I was able to update my last critical app to 64 bit.

OK, and thanks Charlie.

When I went on the warpath against all the annoying Update notifications and badges I didn't need or want and trying the various tricks at the time, I was able to stop the Notifications and then I just hid any icon with a red update flag attached and made sure it was not showing in my Dock.

Out of sight of mind...

And I haven't received any such OS Update annoyance lately, so I guess Apple finally gave up on me.




- Patrick
======

 

[krs]

@krs, don't be paranoid about it. All the article really says is that Apple is making it harder to get rid of the red flag for an update being there, not that there is any forced update. Windows does that, but so far Apple has not.

That is what I'm getting at - yes, today Apple has not forced an update like Windows, but that may not be true tomorrow.
People are complaining bitterly about the nag notification, so what does Apple do - make it harder to turn that off.

What really got me is this idea Apple has that moving from Mojave to Catalina is an "update" - if I was Mr. Average MacUser I would have clicked on the update, after all one should be on the latest version of the software for security etc. and then suddenly all my 32-bit apps no longer work.
Moving back to Mojave, unless one has a recent back-up, is a pain.
Everyone in my family uses Macs but nobody is very technically inclined - when I asked them about 32-bit applications, I just get a blank stare.

 

[exncite]

I posted on another thread that I downgraded from Catalina back to Mojave. A lot of my programs wouldn't work, which I learned here was because of 32 bit vs 64 bit. The transition was a pain because it took a long time, but having my computer backed up (also was backed up on the cloud) wasn't so bad to restore. As far as the update notifications, I have done them but they all stayed in Mojave. They didn't automatically install Catalina.

 

[krs]

They didn't automatically install Catalina.

....and I sure hope they never will!

 

[chscag]

As I stated to member "exncite" in another thread he posted, Apple gave users 2 years worth of notices about 32 bit apps not working in the next version of macOS. As a matter of fact the 32 bit prohibition was to go into effect with the release of Mojave but Apple relented and decided to wait until Catalina.

However, member "krs" made a very good point when he stated:

Everyone in my family uses Macs but nobody is very technically inclined - when I asked them about 32-bit applications, I just get a blank stare.

 

[harryb2448]

Two years? Only two years? Shame Apple shame.


Very funny some of the posts at MacRumours.

 

[krs]

Apple gave users 2 years worth of notices about 32 bit apps not working in the next version of macOS. As a matter of fact the 32 bit prohibition was to go into effect with the release of Mojave but Apple relented and decided to wait until Catalina.

Seems Apple didn't do as well a job in getting that message out to the average user than the transition of PPC processor to Intel which from a user point of view was similar - PPC applications were no longer supported with Lion and beyond.
That was also a roughly 2-year notification window but Mac Users seemed to have been much more aware of that change.

In general, I findthat Apple was much more customer oriented when Steve was around than now.

 

[usagora]

Seems Apple didn't do as well a job in getting that message out to the average user...

Seems like they actually did:
Apple warns macOS users that it will drop support for 32-bit apps
Apple warns Mac users that 32-bit apps will soon stop working | Engadget

As someone who works with the general public on a daily basis, it's no surprise to me that people either don't listen or procrastinate. It is ever thus.

 

[pm-r]

Seems like they actually did:
Apple warns macOS users that it will drop support for 32-bit apps

As someone who works with the general public on a daily basis, it's no surprise to me that people either don't listen or procrastinate. It is ever thus.

Actually, I would be very surprised if more than a very small percentage of Mac users visited and paid attention to the news from Cult of Mac. It's sort of a cult following site.

I also wouldn't be surprised if such users also just trashed any e-mails from Apple as SPAM and unread that might have been informing them about any such New specific Mac OS detail.





- Patrick
======

 

[usagora]

Actually, I would be very surprised if more than a very small percentage of Mac users visited and paid attention to the news from Cult of Mac. It's sort of a cult following site.

Hi, Patrick. The article details what Apple did to forewarn users. I wasn't saying the article itself was the forewarning

And of course, Cult of Mac is not Apple (whom I was referring to when I said "they actually did").

There was actually a pop-up when you opened 32-bit apps (not an email). I remember getting those myself. As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water . . .

 

[chscag]

I don't know what else Apple could have done to warn users about this other than perhaps advertise on all the major networks here in the US and Canada.

 

[usagora]

I don't know what else Apple could have done to warn users about this other than perhaps advertise on all the major networks here in the US and Canada.

I think Craig Federighi should have called each and every Mac user personally ;D

 

[krs]

Weeeelll...........

The link posted starts off this way:

Apple has begun issuing notifications to macOS users that confirm plans to drop support for 32-bit applications.

“This app needs to be updated by its developer to improve compatibility,” reads the warning users will see when they load a 32-bit app for the first time in macOS High Sierra 10.13.4. This is the final version of macOS that will allow 32-bit apps to be opened “without compromise.”

We knew Apple planned to drop support for 32-bit apps from macOS, but those who don’t follow its updates closely will have been out of the loop. Now Apple is ensuring that the move won’t take macOS users by surprise by notifying everyone running its latest High Sierra release.

Starting today, users will see a warning when they open a 32-bit app for the first time, reports Ars Technica. A “learn more” link will take them to an Apple Support document that explains the reasoning behind this decision.

I just upgraded to Mojave from El Capitan.
I have a ton of old 32-bit applications on El Capitan and they all, except one I didn't even recognized, was moved to Mojave with no comment or message that Mojave would be the last macOS to support those.
Just for test purposes to see if there is actually a warning when I try to open a 32-bit app, I launched Toast Titanium 8 which I used years ago and which is a 32-bit application.
Titanium 8 opened with no message, no warning, just normally, regardless what's posted on that website.

To make things worse, Apple is pushing me to update from Mojave to Catalina - I already had that notification several times in the short period I have been running Mojave.

Bottom line for me - No notification and a push to update to a macOS that won't run a huge chunk of my apps
No wonder people got caught updating to Catalina and then - surprise, surprise.

The demise of ppc applications was handled much better.

 

[krs]

There was actually a pop-up when you opened 32-bit apps (not an email). I remember getting those myself. As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water . . .

Just tried it by opening a 32-bit app on Mojave as per my last post - no pop-up, no warning.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't know what else Apple could have done to warn users about this other than perhaps advertise on all the major networks here in the US and Canada.

Maybe what they did with SnowLeopard when ppc apps were no longer supported?