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Apple to Deprecate Raft of Essential Services in macOS Server This Spring
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I'm sad, probably because I'm melancholic about the Apple of 10-15 years ago changing.
Pragmatically speaking, I am sure Mac OS X Server now comprises very, very little of the business as a whole. But it's weird how this aggressive reigning in of ageing products is so variably applied.
I would think it is very little imposition on the company to still support the all these (open source no less!) features in the server software. So if they are so intent on this course, why not apply it wholesale to Mac OS? When was the last time anyone used the Stickies app, for example? Or Image Capture? Arguably these are also fringe applications that don't have broad appeal and require ongoing support.
For a web server:
https://www.mamp.info/en/
...or install brew/macports and use those to install and customise whatever permutation of web server, DHCP, mail server software you need - its all there. Actually, apache, php etc. are all included in MacOS anyway - server was only ever the point-and-click front end - but one of the above options will get you a more up-to-date version.
...or install Docker and download the appropriate "appliance" containers for the services you want.
...or install Linux on your Mac Mini (and add a control panel such as Webmin if you like) - then you're really cooking with gas (Netatalk gives you Mac AFP file sharing and time machine support BTW - until the Samba guys get time machine over SMB sorted out, which was going to be real soon now last time I looked).
Since it turned from a whole separate (and expensive) edition of OS X into a $50 "app", MacOS Server has never been a must-have for running standard internet services. "Management of computers, devices, and storage on your network." has always been the main justification for getting it rather than just enabling the web services.
When I tried and discarded it it lacked GUI setup for many tools appropriate to a small home/office where DNSMasq for DHCP/DNS, Fetchmail for POP/IMAP, Apache name-based virtual hosting etc. are more appropriate than full-blown DNS/BIND, DHCPd or trying to run your own full-blown SMTP service. I think it since gained some of those, but when they can all be installed for free on regular MacOS, so what?
Professional web server operators know their way around a httpd.conf file (or equivalent) and don't need MacOS server. Trying to use a GUI-based config tool to do anything non-trivial with a web server is like washing your feet with socks on.
...and if you're not in that position then you are really, really better advised to use cloud services or even rent a VPS service rather than trying to run an internet-accessible server (because nobody wants email that they can't get from their mobile) from your broadband connection (for all sorts of reasons including availability, getting your machine pwned, your broadband provider's T&Cs, getting a static IP address and bandwidth - especially if you're on ADSL/VDSL with slow upstream speeds).
And, seriously, unless you know your way around postfix, exim or sendmail (fx: roll of thunder and evil laugh) don't even try to run your own email in the current environment unless you want to be a malware gateway...
I use print server, calendar, contact support, mail, virtual private networking (VPN). The only services I considered dropping were the file server and webdav.
I wanted to upgrade and update all of that with the next mac mini ...
I really don't want to store my (families) customer contacts and (medical) appointments in iCloud.
So we will have to somehow unhide this features.
These are very sad times for macOS ... yet what can we expect under Federighi?
These are not the days of Serlet, Jobs, and Forstall (Tevanian too) who truly believed a MACH based Unix was the way to better computing, networking, etc.
Seems when they all left or ousted that so too was the true OSX ... the renaming to macOS was backwards that all the iphoners in the crowd cheered about cause well macOS is dead. No major updates to features other than just making the mom, father, teenager happy with basic computing. Kill macOS and then the iPad + iOS can TRULY REPLACE YOUR COMPUTER. That's been Apple's plan all along.
So what will the new 2018 Mac Pro really be then? I honestly think Schiller and team where talking horse BS when they said it'll be expandable. Yeah for STORAGE and RAM that's it! The OS will be crippled. Sure the presentation will look fantastic as well as the details on their webpage ... but the core system just may not live up to what it could.
What's next?
Books replacing iBooks and it's features.
iTunes U ... will probably be left to wither away or stipped down as well. That means USA Universities will no longer buy up to date Mac's to publish new content. So there further dips macOS's marketshare.
I'm just waiting for when Apple begins to charge for iOS updates.
Apple, at the very least you could've continued development and allowed these server features you're announcing to be deprecated as a purchase option.
He did say most, not all.
I guess if a service you rely on isn't replacable then it's a pain. For me I can't see anything that'll effect my Webserver.
It was so easy to set up a VPN on OS X Server; guess I'll have to take a look at http://www.softether.org and get that up and running at some point...
Unfortunately, such a reply combined with the expression "overreaction" leaves the impression that Apple did just right and no harm was done. And then again we all know that small amounts of users count as otherwise there would be no Apple anymore.
This move is incredibly short-sighted from Apple (like many other things Apple does lately). Granted, the Server per se certainly makes no money for Apple, but is an important part of the ecosystem. Once they remove the pieces that allow one to stay out of Linux / Windows completely, they remove, for many, the need to run macOS altogether.
Once those services are gone, my work (20+ macs) will just switch to all Windows or all Linux solution. As the person responsible for IT here, I have no desire to try to glue bits and pieces from different vendors. I guess I am not alone.
Shortly after that, I will switch away from iPhone (as there are other better options for non-macOS ecosystems) and my whole family's iPhones and iPads (which I administer) will follow.
Well done Apple!
Once those services are gone, my work (20+ macs) will just switch to all Windows or all Linux solution. As the person responsible for IT here, I have no desire to try to glue bits and pieces from different vendors. I guess I am not alone.
Shortly after that, I will switch away from iPhone (as there are other better options for non-macOS ecosystems) and my whole family's iPhones and iPads (which I administer) will follow.
Well done Apple!
People refuse to believe that that is exactly what Apple and other tech companies are doing: deliberately, though covertly, dumbing-down their offerings. There is a push to Snapchatize the Internet. It gave the masses too much power. Aaron Swartz knew it.
[doublepost=1517322822][/doublepost]I get decpreciating a lot of those services, being services like DHCP, DNS aren't needed in corporate environments, and even home environments, now that ISPs like Verizon have that built-in to their modems. However, NetInstall is a real loss, I use with DeployStudio, and I've haven't found a suitable replacement, even when I had JAMF. I guess if this does indeed happen this year, I'll keep High Sierra running for a bit.
Heh, no. You won't have the web server through the Server app anymore, but you'll be able to install apache (which is what Server's web server is) in numerous other ways. And they will be heavily supported. You'll basically just be launching a different app to configure it (if you need to use a GUI). I can see this being an annoyance, but it is *not* a reason to have to go out and buy new hardware just to serve web pages. In fact, switching to Windows Server (and IIS i presume) will be even more work since it's a different piece of software entirely- unless you install Apache for Windows, in which case yes- you can just stick with the Mac mini.
Man, this is a sad day. Server was never a great offering, but I'd hoped they'd fix it rather than kill it. I'm not running a corporate server, but I run a few private servers for fun and Server made that pretty easy to do. I don't want to host all this stuff on some corporate server somewhere, I liked having it all under my control.
I'm so glad I'll be retiring soon. OS X Server used to be fairly robust and managed all five of our media labs just fine. But it's become more and more problematic over the years, with more and more workarounds needed. This will probably be the final nail in the coffin. I'll nurse along our current server and hopefully won't have to deal with the changes.
It sounds to me that Apple should come out with a 'MacOS Home Server', and either give it away, or charge less than $10.00 for it, and LEAVE MacOS Server ALONE!
Yes, a 'server' without these features isn't a server, like a bicycle without wheels isn't a bike! A bicycle without wheels is a pile of junk. You can't ride it anywhere. You can't 'use' it. It's just a collection of parts. Like a car without an engine, or an engine without a carburetor, or fuel injector, or pistons. Apple should just admit they don't want advanced users and just dump the attempts at aping motions to be that way.
I could drag the Mac Pro 'trash can' into this mix too. Apple management does not have clear and workable view of the 'advanced user' market. I don't know if it's good, or if it's just evolution, or if it's a portent of Apple just giving up.
Since, as far as I know, Apple blocks any other OS on their hardware, this 'upgrade' is going to kill the advanced user market. It is going to continue their goal of slamming the door on people that want devices that they can expand (soldered memory, SSD), extend (adding more storage), enhance (control the UI), abuse (apparently what Apple management thinks people running a fairly full capable server are doing).
Either Apple needs to address this with a 'home server' project, or they need to open their hardware for Linux/Unix/Windows installation, or they just need to state for the record that if you are an 'advanced user', you don't belong on their products.
Tangent: I remember people talking about a rumour that Apple was looking at using Atom and Arm processors for their desktop systems, making them under powered toys. I remember Apple at one point saying that the MacOS and iOS UI's would 'merge', making them 'seamless'. With such rumours from the past, I seriously wonder what Apple thinks is their market. They seem to be willing to dictate to their users, and box them in. Not nice...
(Tip for Apple management: There are literally MILLIONS of people that can help you maintain a foothold int he advanced user market. There are literally MILLIONS of people that can help you with your server product without hog tying it, gagging it, throwing it in a basement. Ask around. You can find help.)
And with Microsoft making their server products more expensive, I don't know what the options are. Linux used to be an option, but from what I hear, it's being squeezed out by vendors looking to capitalize on their users. Everyone seems to want cash from users. Is there a no-cost option that still offers full capabilities?
MacRumors is a bit late to this game--this news is almost a week old now. I figured I just missed the article here when I heard about it elsewhere first!
What currency is that? It retails for $19.99 (USD) in the Mac App Store in the US.
What currency is that? It retails for $19.99 (USD) in the Mac App Store in the US.
This also makes me wonder how long users will have access to the console. Will Apple now work to block users from the underpinnings that macOS runs on? I was surprised how much of the levers in the Mach kernel were there but not working. Granted I was trying to do things in a limited task, but it was interesting how ineffective it was, and how, when I called Apple, was told by an engineer that 'not many people that know how and why that works are still here'.Sad...
A brain drain has happened at Apple over the decades. Maybe this is just an admission that they don't support their heritage any longer, the 'software behind the curtain'. *shrug*
Sad...A brain drain has happened at Apple over the decades. Maybe this is just an admission that they don't support their heritage any longer, the 'software behind the curtain'. *shrug*
Could you give some examples, please?
I am in a similar position. I transitioned from Windows to Mac about 10 years ago, in part due to the transition to x86 and in part due to the ecosystem. The latter has been dismantled slowly since TC became CEO and and any transition away from hardware that runs Windows will put the final nail in the coffin.
I bought Server to learn how to run one and to experiment with various server services. I am admittedly a novice so Server was perfect for my needs, but if I have to transition to non-Mac software or buy new hardware, there will be little left to hold my attention at Apple.
Literally every single thing they're removing is a free open-source product. They provided not only a list of what it being removed but links to download each of them and install them yourself. It couldn't be easier and they couldn't have laid it out any plainer.
Calendar
Contacts
DHCP
DNS
Messages
NetInstall
VPN
Websites
Wiki
I use my OX Server on a macmini for the following: contacts, calendar, reminders, time machine, and updates caching. Other than caching, which is supposed to be available in any High Sierra mac, what can I use to replace these?
1) Contacts - one that would play PERFECT with my ios products. Meaning, it would it not mess up any of the fields, fotos, notes, etc. Internationalization - support foreign characters, foreign address formats, knows the proper format for all countries' phone number format... I would never put these in the cloud.
2) Calendars and Reminders - Push functionality is a requirement. Again, I would never consider putting this in the cloud.
3) Time machine - would a regular mac work as the time machine server?
1) Contacts - one that would play PERFECT with my ios products. Meaning, it would it not mess up any of the fields, fotos, notes, etc. Internationalization - support foreign characters, foreign address formats, knows the proper format for all countries' phone number format... I would never put these in the cloud.
2) Calendars and Reminders - Push functionality is a requirement. Again, I would never consider putting this in the cloud.
3) Time machine - would a regular mac work as the time machine server?