OS Ventura is available

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Probably no one here cares, but folks in my user group live and die by the dictation/transcription feature. It's been updated yet again for Ventura. I haven't heard from anyone who has tried it yet. (Most of the folks in my user group will wait to upgrade until Ventura matures a bit.) I'd really appreciate it if someone here who already has Ventura installed could give dictation/transcription a try and see if it is highly accurate and easy to use.

Dictate messages and documents on Mac

Whenever I use the dictation feature, on my iPhone, or Mac, I just want to pull my hair out because it is so horribly in accurate. In fact, just take a look at that last part of the last sentence. I'm dictating this reply, and I can't even get an accurate, correct. See, it did it again. But otherwise, it does seem better.
 
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so far I really like it. seems even better than Monterey on my early 2015 MacBook Air which was supported, ventura had to be installed with the OCLP tool.
 

Rod


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@Rod and anyone else running Ventura:

I understand Stage Manager (SM) from reading & videos. What I want to ask is how SM integrates - or competes with - multiple Desktops.

I have about 10 Desktops with specific apps dedicated to each. That's a bit OTT I admit and my current plan is to cut back on these.

It almost seems that multiple Desktops become redundant in Ventura if one uses SM??

Any comments much appreciated. (y)

Ian
Ian, I came across this web page which really explains the SM fuctions and options better than I could (with pictures); How to use Stage Manager in macOS 13 Ventura - gHacks Tech News

In the end I think I agree with the Author's final opinion although he does go on to say it may have application for big screen users, "I've been using Stage Manager since the first developer beta of Ventura was released. I feel it's just another way to manage app windows, and wastes precious space on the screen. Mission Control and Spaces are still better in my opinion."

In my experience there were a few odd behaviours which are not mentioned/explained in the article above which in particular relate to extra Desktops which I know you use a lot:
I can only explain this by describing what I did and what happened;

I had 4 Desktops with multiple apps, one centre screen and the others in the side columns. I had downloaded a file on Safari which had gone to the Downloads Folder by default. I prefer the Desktop as a destination for downloads, I've since reset that on the new Safari Settings.

Then I notice there are no Desktop file icons on the Desktop at all. I only have two folders but they were missing. So I pause and click on the desktop and they reappear. Then I open Downloads from the Dock > View in Finder and drag the download to the Desktop. Now I go to the folder I want to put the downloaded file into, open it and attempt to drag the file from the desktop into the folder.
I cannot select it. So, I close the Finder window, now I can select it, so I relaunch the Finder window but when I try to drag the file to the Finder the Finder window is minimised to the column. It seems that SM identifies the desktop as a window. So click on the desktop, that becomes active, launch the Finder from the sidebar that becomes active BUT the Desktop becomes inactive. In my mind this is a bit of killer. There seems no way to interact directly between the Desktop and an open app window, nor can you drag anything to the icons in the column. This is something I do all the time. Obviously I can use the"Import" command in many cases but for file sorting it just doesn't work. Of course you can just turn it off from the Control Centre.

I hope you can follow all that. There may be times that SM would be useful and it can easily be switched on but like the author of the linked article I think I prefer the way Mission Control works and I can leave it on all the time without it conflicting with my work flow.
 

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Brilliant summary, Rod and thank you for your patience.

At the moment, I can only use SM on my iPad Pro 12" where it works okay. It's not mind-blowing but is useful on the iPad.

From my reading as well as your detailed experiences, I'll likely stick with Mission Control & my Desktops, when I upgrade to Ventura.

Ian
 
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Rod


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I think that would be my advice. Unfortunately, just like Sidecar with my last iPad my new iPad 6th gen. is not compatible with SM so I'll have to rely on your opinion when you upgrade yours.
 
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After having trouble on the first download and a very long night, I managed to redo Ventura and think it is actually pretty good now it's up and running.
 

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Rod,

On my iPad Pro (12.9 inch) 5th Generation, Stage Manager (SM) works as stated. I've look at several really good videos re the use of SM on the iPad and I think I am using it more or less to its limits.

Of course, the screen - the largest for an iPad - is still a limiting factor, but one can hide the "Cast" on the left and you can add or remove apps on to the "Stage".

AFAIK, there is a limit of 4 apps in the "Cast" - any more would make them near invisible anyway. For my needs, Multitasking is perfectly adequate on the iPad. SM has to be switched off for Multitasking to be active, as far as I can see.

Conclusion: SM is fine, but its real value for those who want it will be on Mac computers, the larger the screen the better.

Ian
 
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Then I notice there are no Desktop file icons on the Desktop at all.
That is fixable. Open System Settings/Desktop and Dock, scroll down to the Stage Manager and turn it on. Now click Customize and turn on "Desktop Items." Voila! they appear and stay.
 
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If we're boasting I've got six!
 

IWT


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Well, you see guys, the more there are, the more microscopic they become on an iPad. :)

But from a factual viewpoint, thanks for the correction. That's important.

Ian
 

Rod


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I was aware they could be "stacked" on the MBP, like tiles, but I don't know about iPads.

@Jake, thanks for the Customise settings tip, I didn't try that Desktop Items option, I didn't understand what it meant. That makes sense now. I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want that but at least it's not a glitch.
It's also worth remembering it's very easy to turn on and off and it takes immediate effect to the existing window arrangement.
Definitely a try it you might like it option
 
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@Rod, I can see a use case where not having icons on the "stage" would be desirable, but it's pretty limited. I like to have my Desktop available.
 

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@Rod, I can see a use case where not having icons on the "stage" would be desirable, but it's pretty limited. I like to have my Desktop available.
I guess I just found it a bit weird. Having to click on the desktop to "activate" it. I mean I only have two folders on my desktop but...
Anyway it's so easy to turn off/on I'll probably get some use out of it for specific tasks. Someone mentioned it resizes the windows to make the column visible but you can resize them again to max and they stay that way. Just putting the cursor on the left margin makes the column visible.
 

Raz0rEdge

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Here is the support guide for Ventura.

Catalina is the last OS that supported the 2012 MBP. Your MBP will not support anything newer like Big Sur, Monterrey, Ventura and beyond.
 
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so far I really like it. seems even better than Monterey on my early 2015 MacBook Air which was supported, ventura had to be installed with the OCLP tool.
Hmmm - I have an early 2015 MBAir and Ventura is not offered as an upgrade, and listed as non-supported in the list below (Macworld) - sure that you have the right model Air above (and not sure what the OCLP tool might be?). Thanks for any info. Dave :)
.
Screen Shot 2022-11-10 at 2.37.56 PM.png
 

IWT


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Isn't Ventura released for a MacBookPro 2012?
Not being offensive; but no way at all. I believe that the earliest version of your Mac to support Ventura is 2017. You're a long way off - 5 years or so. :sd

Ian
 
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Here is the support guide for Ventura.

Catalina is the last OS that supported the 2012 MBP. Your MBP will not support anything newer like Big Sur, Monterrey, Ventura and beyond.
Not being offensive; but no way at all. I believe that the earliest version of your Mac to support Ventura is 2017. You're a long way off - 5 years or so. :sd

Ian
I did not know that. The computer still works perfectly. Is Apple telling me to buy a new computer or is there some way to update it to a newer version(s)?
 

Raz0rEdge

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I did not know that. The computer still works perfectly. Is Apple telling me to buy a new computer or is there some way to update it to a newer version(s)?
What version of macOS are you currently running? If you aren't at Catalina, you should at least do that upgrade.

That will give you a few more years of usage, but then apps are going to slowly start moving their minimum supported OS beyond Catalina and you'll be stuck without OS and app upgrades for long enough that it'll be time to upgrade.

Your machine is now 10 years old and things have changed dramatically (for the better) in those 10 years and will continue to do so into the future.

So when your machine starts failing you (for whatever reason), upgrade.

No company is going to indefinitely support old hardware and software. With Apple releasing new versions of the OS every year, this is how it is. Also, there is no way to force the upgrade (and even if there is, I wouldn't recommend it).
 

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