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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.

What makes you so sure you wouldn't be able to copy the installer to your other machines? With the current app store, you don't have to re-download everything, you can copy an app over and then just have to authorize with your apple ID. Or do installs over a network (which is already possible, even wirelessly).
 
That makes sense, while not incredibly expensive, the cost of manufacturing is still overhead if they can reduce it by providing a mechanism for the consumer to d/l it why not.

Whilst I think I have a connection with enough bandwidth to cope with the size, I do want the DVD. The cost of manufacturing (50 cents per DVD?) are costs we as customers pay for, not Apple. I you buy a carton of milk you pay for the milk plus the carton.
 
Releasing on MAS is posible in some sort of .DMG, .IMG Image ready to burn on DVD or copy to USB Key, Look at Xcode 4 for example. Apple may put detailed instructions on how to do it on the MAS description page.

The question is: How Much?
 
The nice thing is it sort of makes each purchase of Lion a Family Pack, by default, since you can install App Store purchase on all machines using the same ID.

Great... just have to download 3+ gigabytes every time I want to install it.
 
As long as you can burn a DVD or USB key from it, it should be a good way of distribution. It seem a bit reckless, however, not to have a offline backup around. Sometimes even Time Machine screws up.

The entire idea of restoring from a Time Machine backup has always been illogical to me.

If Time Machine backs up everything, then it backs up whatever problems you had that resulted in your need for restore.

Time Machine has limited real use, and its basically limited to accidentally deleting things.
 
Releasing on MAS is posible in some sort of .DMG, .IMG Image ready to burn on DVD or copy to USB Key, Look at Xcode 4 for example. Apple may put detailed instructions on how to do it on the MAS description page.

The question is: How Much?

$129 + tax
 
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!

From the article:
"Apple is said to presumably be planning to also release Mac OS X Lion on physical media to support users who are running older Mac OS X versions incompatible with the Mac App Store or who have slow Internet connections that would make downloading the large update unwieldy."

From the source article:
"While the Mac App Store will be the preferred method for installing Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, set for release this summer, it's logical to presume that Apple will also offer an optical disc for people who may not have broadband. At least person with knowledge of the situation claims that this will indeed be the case "for those with slower connections, or [for those who for whatever reason do] not want to download it.""

Furthermore, what if the app store download is just a dmg that allows you to burn it to a disk or copy it to a thumb drive? Wouldn't that alleviate your concerns too? Way too early to be getting bent out of shape over this.
 
The entire idea of restoring from a Time Machine backup has always been illogical to me.

If Time Machine backs up everything, then it backs up whatever problems you had that resulted in your need for restore.

Time Machine has limited real use, and its basically limited to accidentally deleting things.

Not exactly. You can always choose to go back to another date in the past.
 
please don't show an Air on the front page again.

you're giving me almost-gasms, (i.e., tiny heart attacks).
 
I'm the one that raised the point in the first place! I think I set the context!

Exactly. You did set the context but you did fall out your words when you said that MAS download would be a better thing to exploit which in any case, not true.

Just like 'small white car' corrected you, there's nothing worse than an unrestricted Mac OS Install Disk. Simple.

I do. I don't have any need to violate it. I only have one Mac.

All of my computers have a fully licenced copy of Windows XP or 7 on them.

It's great. Good that you don't. Just saying that EULA doesn't hold a candle in practicality and can be easily exploited. I can illegally install the OS on a laptop in front of Apple and they cannot do anything. Not that they care, but even if they did, they couldn't.
 
The entire idea of restoring from a Time Machine backup has always been illogical to me.

If Time Machine backs up everything, then it backs up whatever problems you had that resulted in your need for restore.

Time Machine has limited real use, and its basically limited to accidentally deleting things.

It's quite useful if the failure is due to your hard drive breaking or wanting to move from one computer/drive to another.;)
 
From the article:
"Apple is said to presumably be planning to also release Mac OS X Lion on physical media to support users who are running older Mac OS X versions incompatible with the Mac App Store or who have slow Internet connections that would make downloading the large update unwieldy."

From the source article:
"While the Mac App Store will be the preferred method for installing Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, set for release this summer, it's logical to presume that Apple will also offer an optical disc for people who may not have broadband. At least person with knowledge of the situation claims that this will indeed be the case "for those with slower connections, or [for those who for whatever reason do] not want to download it.""

Furthermore, what if the app store download is just a dmg that allows you to burn it to a disk or copy it to a thumb drive? Wouldn't that alleviate your concerns too? Way too early to be getting bent out of shape over this.

So we all have to "wait in line" at the Apple Store for Lion upgrades?

Do we have to try to get there before the eBay Scalpers? :eek:
 
two things:

a) Does nobody read?

From TFA:


Apple is said to presumably be planning to also release Mac OS X Lion on physical media to support users who are running older Mac OS X versions incompatible with the Mac App Store or who have slow Internet connections that would make downloading the large update unwieldy.

Granted, I think that the article is a little bit of intentional flamebait because they use wishywashy words like "preferred" to start up a discussion to ratchet up page views.... But come on, people. We all know that every time Macrumors tries to start controversy on a perceived "change" in functionality or standards, nine times out of ten there's more than one option available... '

I swear, this is like explaining nested hierarchies to a creationist...

b) to PMZ, regarding Time Machine... It's not a "single snapshot"... Since you can go back to any point in time, just go back to a point on the Time Machine timeline BEFORE everything went berserk with a given file or directory. For a full system restore, though, it's always most sensible to do a clean install from the system disc. Again, see above, as app store download clearly is not the only method.
 
Exactly. You did set the context but you did fall out your words when you said that MAS download would be a better thing to exploit which in any case, not true.

Just like 'small white car' corrected you, there's nothing worse than an unrestricted Mac OS Install Disk. Simple.

I was referring to the terms of the licence, not any technical restrictions, so nobody corrected me.

Mac OS X Install DVD - one licence, one machine
Mac App Store - one licence, unlimited machines

I do not believe that Apple intends for people to install their Apps on any machine they encounter, but merely those that they own and use on a regular basis - hence the "abuse" comment.
 
Since when is an operating system an "app"?

Since when does the App Store have to be limited to selling "apps"?

The App Store (unless they change things) wouldn't allow that.

Since this will be the first time they're selling the OS itself via the app store, they most certainly ARE changing things. I find it baffling that people can even imagine a scenario where they do a download like this but make no other changes to their terms or functionality.

Great... just have to download 3+ gigabytes every time I want to install it.

Why? You don't have to do that now with apps, right?
 
Not exactly. You can always choose to go back to another date in the past.

Assuming you know when the problem began.

The further back you go, the better off you are just restoring to stock.
 
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.

You seem really hung up on the fact that if Lion is sold on the app store it has to act exactly like every thing else on the app store, when that doesn't necessarily have to be the case.

Apple has always strived for simplicity, and creating one application where every other application can be downloaded makes things really simple for people who are not power users like you and me. Want the newest version of OS X? App store. Want iWork '11? App Store. Need a keyboard firmware update (hypothetically)? App Store.

I don't disagree with you that downloads from the Apple website itself aren't a bad thing, but it hasn't been the simplest thing either. And again, no one has said what other options will be available. There might be .iso downloads elsewhere on the website. The OS installer might have an option to burn a recovery disc.

Honestly, I'm with you for the most part. If there's no easy options to create a physical version of Lion for me to have as backup, I'm buying retail. But that doesn't mean the App Store version is a bad thing. It's a good thing for 95% of the people out there who aren't on these forums. :)
 
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tigress666 said:
Anyway, what happens if you whole hard drive dies?
What if you want to reinstall everything from scratch?
There is just too many what ifs

I thought about this and while I think having a CD is better for these reasons, I don't think it would leave you up a creek without a paddle.

Either you have an OS that supports Mac App store so you'd have a CD that would at least install that OS (and therefore you could install old OS and go back to Mac app store and reinstall Lion) or you'd have to buy the Lion CD anyways (but in this case if you lose the Lion CD you may be w/out Lion).

So, while the app store does have the advantage that if you buy through them, long as you have the CD from the previous OS (and probably not too expensive to buy a CD off of ebay, don't know, haven't checked) you can re install Lion. WHere as if you buy the CD and lose it, you'll have to buy Lion all over again (and I am betting Lion won't be as "cheap" as Snow Leopard as it isn't considered an incremental upgrade).

But... it also means more hassle if your hard drive does crash cause you'll have to install an OS twice.

So you'd have to install your retail disc of 10.6.3 then update a gig or so to 10.6.6, run the App Store then download 10.7?

There has to be a bootable version.
 
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