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Well, Then Don't

pro: one less disc to keep track of. my family already lost my iWork disc.

cons: what if i want to format the hard drive and restart from scratch? or even just archive and install? what if i completely replace my hard drive? what if i want to sell my mac and get a new one, would i retain the license or would the buyer get it? how would they reinstall the OS after I wipe the hard drive? how long is this going to take to download? will we be able and authorized to burn our own install DVDs from the downloaded software?

Then don't buy from the Mac App Store.
 
Currently I can create a DVD from the developer preview of Lion. The installation program is provided as a DMG file, so it is relatively easy to create the DVD. Of course an average user wouldn't find the whole thing that easy, so I suppose Apple will provide some other solution. The option to buy the DVD will of course be available.

Can you boot off the stuff in the DMG?
 
Here's my problem with this distribution method for an OS:

I have 4 Macs in my house. Previously, I'd buy a Family License DVD and go from machine to machine installing it.

If I have to DL it from the App Store, I've got to download it 4 times! I don't care about paying for multiple licenses... I do care about blowing out my internet bandwidth downloading the same multi-gigabyte file 4 times. :mad:

There had better be a physical-media option!
 
ThunderTail

I want my Lion on a stick with a ThunderTail!

What else do I use my Tunderbolt port for... :p
 
If I have to DL it from the App Store, I've got to download it 4 times!

I can copy iPhone apps from one computer to another just fine. As long as they're logged into the same account they work.

Shouldn't this work the same way?

I mean, obviously we don't know, but I don't see why it shouldn't.
So I guess we'll all just send you our AT&T Internet Bills when we go over their newly implemented data usage caps? :eek:

:rolleyes:


If you're using AT&T mobile internet as the primary connection for your Macs then you probably need to re-examine your life somewhat.
 
Because it has a payment system and delivery system in place.

But it isn't an app. It's an OS upgrade.

So why sell it in the App Store?

Apple isn't a poor company, the Apple Store (the website) has been able to sell digital software for years. They could set up a very sophisticated method for selling Mac OS X to people without using the App Store.

If I was Apple, I'd sell (through their website) a licence for Mac OS X. You'd download a small App, which would give you the option to either install it to the computer you were on right then or to create a DVD or USB key which could also be used to install the OS. This App would then download the appropriate files and continue the install/make the DVD.
 
Here's my problem with this distribution method for an OS:

I have 4 Macs in my house. Previously, I'd buy a Family License DVD and go from machine to machine installing it.

If I have to DL it from the App Store, I've got to download it 4 times! I don't care about paying for multiple licenses... I do care about blowing out my internet bandwidth downloading the same multi-gigabyte file 4 times. :mad:

There had better be a physical-media option!

Is everyone missing the "Preferred" in the headline of this thread? Preferred does not me "only" or "required" or "mandatory."

We're not yet at the point where digitial distribution is a feasible option for everyone, but Apple needs to take the steps towards it now before the rest of the industry passes by.
 
i intend to get mine on a disc rather then a download.

Why can't you just download it and back it up on a USB key, or a thousand USB keys?

Give me one good reason why you can't do that. If you're posting on Macrumors you have enough bandwidth to get it, just may have to wait a few minutes.
 
Thank god. I knew Apple know what they are doing. I am happy to be a part of the future. Optical disc media has to be 1tb per disc to be of value.
 
Here's my problem with this distribution method for an OS:

I have 4 Macs in my house. Previously, I'd buy a Family License DVD and go from machine to machine installing it.

If I have to DL it from the App Store, I've got to download it 4 times! I don't care about paying for multiple licenses... I do care about blowing out my internet bandwidth downloading the same multi-gigabyte file 4 times. :mad:

There had better be a physical-media option!

Why on earth couldn't you burn your own DVD, or better yet, copy to a USB key, or any external drive?

Awaiting your response.
 
50/50

App sounds good in theory and less discs are good except this is an important disc to have. I want the disc. Also I buy family packs so how will that be handled?

When my G5 was having problems I NEEDED those discs badly! As long as there is a way to create your own disc I'm cool with it. I have had to many drives go bad to fully rely on them so this is certainly debatable.

Apple needs to show how the app would work better then a disc to sell me on the App. I do like the fact of not having to wait at the store and everything else.

How about both? Let me download it then send me a disc and family packs. Have 4 Macs in the house so it could get expensive in the long run. (well 5 but my G5 can't run Lion).
 
Is everyone missing the "Preferred" in the headline of this thread? Preferred does not me "only" or "required" or "mandatory."

We're not yet at the point where digitial distribution is a feasible option for everyone, but Apple needs to take the steps towards it now before the rest of the industry passes by.

My opposition to this isn't because I think Digital Distribution is bad (the copy of Windows 7 I'm writing this on was downloaded, legally I might add, from Microsoft), it's because of how Apple is offering it.

I was able to download a .iso of Windows and install it how I wanted to. I was able to back up the .iso to an external hard drive and also to burn a copy of it.

The App Store (unless they change things) wouldn't allow that. I would have no problem with this if Apple included a way to create a DVD or USB installer from the download.
 
This sounds high risk to me.
Better to go with optical media.
I wonder if this could leave a number of Macs crippled if their current OS is unstable or otherwise impaired?
Still they test this stuff right? In multiple scenarios. Will antivirus software and the like let these OS changes occur?
 
So why sell it in the App Store?

Apple isn't a poor company, the Apple Store (the website) has been able to sell digital software for years. They could set up a very sophisticated method for selling Mac OS X to people without using the App Store.

If I was Apple, I'd sell (through their website) a licence for Mac OS X. You'd download a small App, which would give you the option to either install it to the computer you were on right then or to create a DVD or USB key which could also be used to install the OS. This App would then download the appropriate files and continue the install/make the DVD.

Maybe they want to consolidate onto the app store, who knows. I was just pointing out that OS X Lion clearly doesn't follow the "rules" of an app, so therefore Apple is open to doing whatever they want with the licensing.
 
The licence is only for one computer.

If you want to install it on a different machine you must uninstall the original copy first.

The Mac App Store says:

"You can install apps on every Mac you use and even download them again."

That implies that if I go on a friend's computer for 5 minutes once a year I could install Lion on it for no charge.

If I want, I can install Mac OS X SL or Leopard on a 1000 machines using the same CD. :)
 
Great for smaller apps

I'm guessing DVDs or USB keys will be around for awhile for the big things like a major OS upgrade, Office, Creative Suite.
 
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