Is there any advantage waiting for ML?

[aaronvan]

I'm decided on the Mac I want to purchase and will order it via the Apple store online. That said, I don't need it right this instant so I was wondering if there is any advantage to waiting and purchasing with ML installed? Apple will upgrade for free, I know. Is there any leftover cruft from an upgrade I don't need or any other issue where it would be advantageous to wait a couple weeks. I can't think of anything but am simply curious.

 

[Puevlo]

I don't believe there will be any advantage to waiting.

 

[Yamcha]

No advantage, unless your looking to buy an iMac or Mac Mini, if that is the case I'd wait until the release of Mountain Lion, as It's possible that we may see updated iMacs or Mac Mini's.

 

[antoniogra7]

The only advantage is that you wouldn't have to upgrade yourself.

 

[aaronvan]

The only advantage is that you wouldn't have to upgrade yourself.

I think I'll wait just so I don't have to go through the hassle of downloading ML and performing a clean install.

 

[Takuro]

There's no advantage in waiting. As you said, it'll be free for you to upgrade when it does roll out. I don't think there will be a lot of leftover junk from Lion once the upgrade is installed, since Apple is usually good about deleting unused first-party system files from previous installations. Of course, some 3rd party frameworks and plugins might not work, but you would have eventually realized they were incompatible if you tried to install them on a fresh image of Mountain Lion anyway. And really… how much 3rd party software do you plan to install in the next 3 or so weeks that it'd become unmanageable if there were any issues?

 

[danrhiggins]

I decided NOT to wait because...

I wanted a machine with a solid OS for which all of my apps will work. If I waited for a ML machine then I would either need to wait until an ML or app issues settled down or I would need to weather them. By moving sooner, I was able to get on my new machine (MBA 13") and be off to the races with all my apps and I get to decide when I make the move to ML (which will probably not be the first week.)

 

[robgendreau]

I think I'll wait just so I don't have to go through the hassle of downloading ML and performing a clean install.

You don't have to do a clean install, but if it makes you feel better....

But I think the real advantage of buying now is that you CAN run Lion. If ML presents some insurmountable problems for you (drivers, other hardware issues, etc.) and you find the need to move back to Lion then you're covered if you bought a Lion machine. If you buy a ML machine odds are you will NOT be able to go back to Lion.

If you're worried about needing solutions like clean installations then I'd hedge my bets. My .02 anyway (added to danrhiggins good advice anyway).

 

[CyBeRino]

But I think the real advantage of buying now is that you CAN run Lion.

This.

ML is pretty solid so far as I can tell, but there may be compatibility issues with third-party applications, mods, drivers, etc., that have been worked out with Lion. If you buy now, you'll get Lion installed and your upgrade to Mountain Lion will be free. If you wait, you'll get Mountain Lion installed and while the machine will be perfectly capable of running Lion (it's the same machine as they're selling today, after all), you won't actually have Lion unless you buy it separately.

 

[sarah11918]

I'm waiting simply because I'm on SL right now, and my new machine will be differently purposed than this one. (Old business/projects no longer need to be on; removing an old, no-longer-used version control file system etc.)

When I do get a new machine, I'm manually moving over only certain files (in a different file structure) and applications from the old machine. I'm not restoring from a backup, nor using migration assistant.

For that reason, I'm waiting for ML to pull the trigger. I just figure it's the easiest way to start fresh, and I don't think it makes much sense to bother with Lion for so short a time.