Apple Seeds New Version of Mac OS X Lion (11A444d) to Developers

[rorschach]

Interesting...there are 3 files called "MobileTestIPhone.html", "MobileTestIPhoneRetina.html", and MobileTestIPad.html with accompanying Javascript and CSS files in Safari's Resources folder:

Typing an address into the address field doesn't do anything but perhaps something is forthcoming.

The "missing plug-in" is "application/x-mobile-test"

 

[holmesf]

No, it'll happen whether we like it or not....

Nope, it won't happen at all. There is too big of a market for people who write and rely on custom software. I don't disagree that the friendly face of the OS will continue to get dumbed down. The backend, however, will remain just as open and customizable. Go look at any University and you'll find that in the CS dept a huge portion of the professors and their students use Mac OS X. Restrict this market and you drive away future developers. It would be suicidal.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Nope, it won't happen at all. There is too big of a market for people who write and rely on custom software.

Who said there couldn't be custom software? You'll simply need a developer package. Students might get a special 'exception' area on the App store or private access or whatever, but it doesn't mean they won't start closing down the system at some point. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon....

I don't disagree that the friendly face of the OS will continue to get dumbed down. The backend, however, will remain just as open and customizable. Go look at any University and you'll find that in the CS dept a huge portion of the professors and their students use Mac OS X. Restrict this market and you drive away future developers. It would be suicidal.

They've been driving away the professional market for a few years now by releasing consumer gear labeled as "Pro", ignoring pro features on previously true pro hardware and not updating their professional software and taking too long for updates on the Mac Pro. Then there's using non-standard connections (oh yeah; Mini-Display Port is supposed to be a standard now even though hardly anything supports it), dumping professional video cards for the Mac Pro (this alone kills the platform for some). So based on their 'who cares' attitude towards the professional market, what makes you think they'd care about whether some students didn't like the new system? They're already convinced they would LOVE it based on iPhone/iPad sales. A little inter-connection accommodation and what does it matter if most consumer software has to be App store installed as long as 'developers' have some flexibility? Pony up a nice developer fee and Apple makes even MORE money from all those college students and teachers.

Again, I'm not saying it will happen that way, only that it's looking to be a stronger and stronger possibility the more steps I see from Apple. They seem to be heading in that direction. The only question is whether they will close down the 'open' interface to OSX at some point and that's a big 'maybe' in my book. Apple ultimately does what Apple thinks is best for them and doesn't care what 'some' consumers want. They ultimately have the 'yes' crowd telling them everything they do is great so who cares about a few whiners that want certain things to stay the same?

 

[ghostlyorb]

WWDC.. is getting closer and closer!

 

[Tundraboy]

Who said there couldn't be custom software? You'll simply need a developer package. Students might get a special 'exception' area on the App store or private access or whatever, but it doesn't mean they won't start closing down the system at some point. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon....



They've been driving away the professional market for a few years now by releasing consumer gear labeled as "Pro", ignoring pro features on previously true pro hardware and not updating their professional software and taking too long for updates on the Mac Pro. Then there's using non-standard connections (oh yeah; Mini-Display Port is supposed to be a standard now even though hardly anything supports it), dumping professional video cards for the Mac Pro (this alone kills the platform for some). So based on their 'who cares' attitude towards the professional market, what makes you think they'd care about whether some students didn't like the new system? They're already convinced they would LOVE it based on iPhone/iPad sales. A little inter-connection accommodation and what does it matter if most consumer software has to be App store installed as long as 'developers' have some flexibility? Pony up a nice developer fee and Apple makes even MORE money from all those college students and teachers.

Again, I'm not saying it will happen that way, only that it's looking to be a stronger and stronger possibility the more steps I see from Apple. They seem to be heading in that direction. The only question is whether they will close down the 'open' interface to OSX at some point and that's a big 'maybe' in my book. Apple ultimately does what Apple thinks is best for them and doesn't care what 'some' consumers want. They ultimately have the 'yes' crowd telling them everything they do is great so who cares about a few whiners that want certain things to stay the same?

Well Said!!!!!

 

[bpaluzzi]

All you've shown me is you are as utterly clueless as they come.

Software and computer engineering have zero to do with anything I said, BTW. The business angle of combining iOS with OSX proper is subjective to say the least since we have not seen a market reaction to it yet. In other words, I don't know what you've been smoking, but where can I get some?

The fact that you say they have "zero to do with anything I said" shows just how little you understand. You really think that locking down an OS has nothing to do with software or computer engineering? I can't even begin to come up with a response, as your level of shared knowledge is just too low.

 

[iBug2]

Nope, it won't happen at all. There is too big of a market for people who write and rely on custom software. I don't disagree that the friendly face of the OS will continue to get dumbed down. The backend, however, will remain just as open and customizable. Go look at any University and you'll find that in the CS dept a huge portion of the professors and their students use Mac OS X. Restrict this market and you drive away future developers. It would be suicidal.

Who said anything about driving away future developers? You do realize that the closed app store is bringing in more developers right?

 

[iBug2]

Is there? They're already controlling what can and cannot be sold on the iOS platform (and it is an entire platform now with full-fledged computers in the form of the iPad). They've proven themselves beyond contempt by insisting that in-app subscriptions be the same or lower on the App store than direct, despite the fact that they demand 1/3 of all the selling price. They've added an 'App' store for OSX proper and have the same 30% "grab" for everything on there. They're advertising and bragging about bringing iOS features back to OSX. I'm just doing simple math here. You can make 1+1 = 1 if you say it's a bigger one, but in my world, 2 is still the more likely answer.

And you are the ones using the words "foolish". I think it's quite possibly a business-savvy solution to ensuring profits stay high into the future. What you or I may want in OSX is irrelevant to both Apple and Steve Jobs. Steve has essentially said that consumers don't know what's best for them and that it takes a visionary to move forward. We know Steve's 'vision' is smaller/thinner/more mobile at almost any cost. So I'm not saying it will happen like that, but that it's looking more likely every day. Only time will tell for sure. But I know if it does happen, I'll no longer have an interest in OSX. I don't want Apple deciding for me what I can or cannot buy or watching developers get 1/3 their gross taken from them (same % as a typical injury lawyer BTW. You don't get paid until they get paid FIRST and your bills 2nd and you last; in this case it would be taxes instead of bills). You can think it's good/fair/right. I don't agree and I don't want Apple telling me I have to use Safari because they don't want Firefox or Chrome competing with them.



I don't know about that. There will always be a market for faster/more powerful (i.e. most people may drive a Ford Focus or Chevy Impala or Toyota Corrola and hybrids may capture larger and larger market penetration in the future, but that doesn't mean there isn't a market for the WRX, Mustang, Corvette, etc. even if it shrinks over time) and so even if Apple AND Microsoft bail out of traditional computing, that just means someone else will likely take over. They can't make Linux go away, for example. And if people didn't BUY it, the lines would stop. Newton didn't exactly go over so well the first time around....

Remember what Steve said. PC's as we use today will be like trucks. Yes they will be around but nobody, not you nor me are going to use them.

And no. Are you currently using a 64 core workstation? I bet not. But they are available. So no, we don't need the fastest even today. In 15 years, an iPad will be more powerful than our 12 core Mac Pro's. And nobody will pick anything up. All computer industry will go post pc devices, because it makes much more sense. They are much easier to use, we hate them now because we can use actual PC's, but most of the population can't. Not just old people, most of the young people have tons of issues with regular PC's as well.

And don't worry, we won't be too down about it when it finally happens, since it'll happen very slowly.

Like I said, that's not even the weird part. We won't even have CPU's in our computers, just inputs.

 

[holmesf]

Who said anything about driving away future developers? You do realize that the closed app store is bringing in more developers right?

There's no proof that a closed app store brought in developers because prior to the app store existing there was no 3rd party development on the device (well, besides jailbreakers). So you can't claim that. Case in point, the Mac App store hasn't exploded in popularity the way the iPhone app store did.

But it's pretty clear that if Apple closed the platform they would lose the marketshare in:

1. education (need unix shell, ability to write programs in Eclipse, etc)
2. server (need extensibility)
3. games (steam for example could not operate)
4. professional (Adobe wouldn't stand for not being able to manage their own business model, for example)
5. open source (major open source projects would avoid the Mac because App store doesn't jive with their licenses, Firefox, OpenOffice, etc)

They'd probably also face a major antitrust lawsuit.

It's an unrealistic doomsday proposition that Apple isn't stupid enough to pursue.

 

[PurrBall]

Remember what Steve said. PC's as we use today will be like trucks. Yes they will be around but nobody, not you nor me are going to use them.

Me and most everyone I know owns a truck..

 

[one1]

Safari is broken for me. Reopens the last window URL no matter what I set my preferences to. Other than that it FIXED AUTOMATOR (Yaaayyyy!!).

 

[iBug2]

There's no proof that a closed app store brought in developers because prior to the app store existing there was no 3rd party development on the device (well, besides jailbreakers). So you can't claim that. Case in point, the Mac App store hasn't exploded in popularity the way the iPhone app store did.

But it's pretty clear that if Apple closed the platform they would lose the marketshare in:

1. education (need unix shell, ability to write programs in Eclipse, etc)
2. server (need extensibility)
3. games (steam for example could not operate)
4. professional (Adobe wouldn't stand for not being able to manage their own business model, for example)
5. open source (major open source projects would avoid the Mac because App store doesn't jive with their licenses, Firefox, OpenOffice, etc)

They'd probably also face a major antitrust lawsuit.

It's an unrealistic doomsday proposition that Apple isn't stupid enough to pursue.

You are talking about things that would happen if they closed it today. I said 15 years.

And it's not a doomsday proposition or anything. That's just where the entire industry will go.

 

[iBug2]

Me and most everyone I know owns a truck..

Weird, I don't know anyone who owns a truck. But that's irrelevant anyway. You can't really think that there are as many trucks as there are automobiles around.

 

[holmesf]

You are talking about things that would happen if they closed it today. I said 15 years.

And it's not a doomsday proposition or anything. That's just where the entire industry will go.

15 years from now? By then the tech world will be so unrecognizable we might as well not debate it. 15 years ago I was using a Mac LC, all my software came from the local mac reseller on floppy disk, and I was just beginning to hear about this whole "Internet" thing. I don't think anybody at the time imagined things turning out quite as they did. Even predicting things 5 years down the line is pretty damned hard in the tech world.

Which is to say, you may very well be right when we talk about 15 years from now. On the other hand, perhaps 15 years from now the whole notion of an app store will seem like a quaint remnant of the past.

 

[PurrBall]

Weird, I don't know anyone who owns a truck. But that's irrelevant anyway. You can't really think that there are as many trucks as there are automobiles around.

Must just be a regional thing. I've never lived anywhere else, so.. Almost everyone here owns some sort of truck or trailer (how else do you bring your brush and stuff to the dump etc?). It's not something you utilize fully daily, but you don't want to have to have someone else do for you. PCs will probably end up for certain types of users who need to use more high-end applications or require large screen real estate.

 

[hb234]

launchpad

Does anyone have problems with launching launchpad? After installing the build, launchpad didn't even launch anymore. It only shows some screens flickering and then returns to the homescreen. Does someone have a solution for this problem?

Thanks in advance

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

The fact that you say they have "zero to do with anything I said" shows just how little you understand. You really think that locking down an OS has nothing to do with software or computer engineering? I can't even begin to come up with a response, as your level of shared knowledge is just too low.

Dude, honestly, WTF are you going on about? You throw abstract generic words around like "software and computer engineering" that encompass literally the ENTIRE computer market and then tell people they don't know WTF they're talking about. Sorry, but I have to laugh. You demonstrate no knowledge about the subject and your reponses are pretty much, "I won't even bother to argue because you're a 5-year old". ROTFLMAO. Nothing says "clueless" to me quite like throwing insults and giving no valid arguments what-so-ever on a given topic. I've got two degrees in electronic engineering so you calling me a 5-year old is so utterly absurd, it's a joke.

What Apple does with iOS and OSX uses engineering, but there is no technology 'god' up there demanding that Apple head in the direction of closed systems, non-professional features, etc. There is no template that forces Apple to go in a given direction. More advanced engineering doesn't mean more closed. Learn the difference for goodness sake!

Apple is making these decisions based on business decisions with some 'control' factors thrown-in based on their CEO's personality. Engineering simply accommodates/implements the business decisions taken. It is not responsible for those decisions in any way. They could accommodate improvements with or without open/closed. Yes, it has 'something' to do with it, but it's completely irrelevant to the conversation here because implementing or creating a vision technologically is still not a business decision whether to do something or not (in this case whether to pursue real technological improvements to OSX or spend their time dumbing down the interface and/or making it more like the iPad/iPhone. Those are 'lateral' steps at best, not engineering breakthroughs.

 

[buckers]

So, how about this build, eh?

 

[bpaluzzi]

Dude, honestly, WTF are you going on about? You throw abstract generic words around like "software and computer engineering" that encompass literally the ENTIRE computer market and then tell people they don't know WTF they're talking about. Sorry, but I have to laugh. You demonstrate no knowledge about the subject and your reponses are pretty much, "I won't even bother to argue because you're a 5-year old". ROTFLMAO. Nothing says "clueless" to me quite like throwing insults and giving no valid arguments what-so-ever on a given topic. I've got two degrees in electronic engineering so you calling me a 5-year old is so utterly absurd, it's a joke.

What Apple does with iOS and OSX uses engineering, but there is no technology 'god' up there demanding that Apple head in the direction of closed systems, non-professional features, etc. There is no template that forces Apple to go in a given direction. More advanced engineering doesn't mean more closed. Learn the difference for goodness sake!

Apple is making these decisions based on business decisions with some 'control' factors thrown-in based on their CEO's personality. Engineering simply accommodates/implements the business decisions taken. It is not responsible for those decisions in any way. They could accommodate improvements with or without open/closed. Yes, it has 'something' to do with it, but it's completely irrelevant to the conversation here because implementing or creating a vision technologically is still not a business decision whether to do something or not (in this case whether to pursue real technological improvements to OSX or spend their time dumbing down the interface and/or making it more like the iPad/iPhone. Those are 'lateral' steps at best, not engineering breakthroughs.

Wow, at no time in this rant did you come close to a point. You actually argued both for and against my point at various times in your incoherent ramble.

 

[KnightWRX]

Interesting...there are 3 files called "MobileTestIPhone.html", "MobileTestIPhoneRetina.html", and MobileTestIPad.html with accompanying Javascript and CSS files in Safari's Resources folder:

Typing an address into the address field doesn't do anything but perhaps something is forthcoming.

The "missing plug-in" is "application/x-mobile-test"

In 2007, when Steve introduced the iPhone, he told us how "web applications" were going to be the future for the device. This is probably just a way to test those web applications you can write for iOS devices (the capability is still there, just not used very much in favor of native applications).

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Wow, at no time in this rant did you come close to a point. You actually argued both for and against my point at various times in your incoherent ramble.

Sure, right...and you managed to say exactly NOTHING in ANY of your posts other than flames and insults, always with some lame excuse why you cannot be bothered to give any kind of lucid or even logical reply. I've concluded you're nothing but a TROLL and therefore belong on the ignore list. Goodbye troll.

 

[Don.Key]

Cloud computing is gonna be huge in 15 years or so. After some point we won't have CPU's at all, all the computation will be done in cloud and we'll just have inputs at home, like a keyboard and mouse or touch, and a screen. Many things will change, and the closed app store will be the least of your worries by then.

Back to Mainframe? He he, not gonna happen. Well, maybe in 100 years from now.

As far as "Cloud" is concerned: meh, another hype which will ether die out by itself or be killed by inevitable major security breach (Hello PSN)

 

[NebulaClash]

WTF is so great about 'gestures'? There's nothing quite so miserable as barely bumping the fraking trackpad while typing and causing the text cursor to go flying off somewhere else or any other way of accidentally activating some of these gestures (the more you have the more likely you'll accidentally activate them at some point unintentionally). And while Apple trackpads feel better than many out there, nothing beats a mouse for certain operations, IMO. I'd take a mouse any day over a trackpad. Old fashioned? That's like saying a '65 Mustang with a 4-speed on the floor is old fashioned next to a modern Mitsubishi Lancer with paddle shifters. I'll take the Mustang ANY DAY over that.

Here is why gestures are great and will win out over mouse and keyboard use for almost all uses: they are a direct action and not an indirect action. We are born with an innate sense of using our fingers to manipulate objects. We have to learn the abstraction concept of a mouse and keyboard, items that come between us and our end product (we put up with it because it is effective and productive for certain purposes, but it's a learned behavior and not innate).

90% of what we use a mouse for can be better done with gestures. Those uses will absolutely dominate over the next decade, leaving mouse usage for specialized applications only. You cannot bet against anything that works with human ability instead of something that creates an extra abstracted metaphor ("see this device? It controls the pointer on the screen. As you move that device, the pointer will move accordingly") for human ability.

All you have to do is see how someone reacts once they get used to gestures and then face a system that does not support them. They get frustrated that they have to insert an extra layer of manipulation when all they want to do is point directly with their fingers.

 

[pondosinatra]

Weird, I don't know anyone who owns a truck. But that's irrelevant anyway. You can't really think that there are as many trucks as there are automobiles around.

Apparently you've never been to Calgary...

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Here is why gestures are great and will win out over mouse and keyboard use for almost all uses: they are a direct action and not an indirect action.

Believe what you will. I have a MBP with gestures and I find some useful and some annoying. I can do fine artwork with a mouse and Photoshop (stylus is even more useful), but I can't do it with a piddly trackpad. I would not want to play 3D shooter games with a trackpad either. In other words, trackpads have their uses and are getting better for some tasks with gestures, but they're not the answer to life, the universe and everything either. Every task has its ideal tool. You don't throw out hand tools because air tools are available. They're unsuited for many tasks (particularly delicate ones).