One of the things I miss about classic MacOS is backward compatibility. In OS 9, I could run software made for System 1, but after OS X after every OS upgrade the software has to be compiled for the current version in order to work. So if I have Office made for Mavericks and upgrade to Yosemite, unless the developer updates the software it won't work. This actually keeps me from upgrading the OS. I have Mojave and it will most likely be my last version of MacOS. Web Browsers are not notifying me they will not update for Mojave. As a result I may transition to Windows or Linux.
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OS X and above backward compatibility
- Thread starter MadMacs99
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That's not true, most software will work without a single change. The only big compatibility drop was 32-bit software in Catalina, because it can run only 64-bit apps.
I highly doubt Office would breaks going from 10.9 to 10.10. Which version of Office were you running?
I highly doubt Office would breaks going from 10.9 to 10.10. Which version of Office were you running?
I don't know what world you live in, but in the real world if the developer did not compile the software for the newest version of MacOS you get a circle with a line through it. When you try to run it you get a message saying that it needs an older version of MacOS along with the version number. This is the way it has been since MacOS 10.0, even when all apps were 32-bit. Many developers include the newer OS version in their updates. So if you keep your software updated, it keeps working. That is until they stop compiling it for the newest version.
In the Office example I stated "unless the developer updates the software". Like I said most developers initially compile the software in updates for the next MacOS update, but not all do. My point is in OS 9, I can run an app made for System 1 that is going all the way back to first version of the OS. You absolutely cannot run software made for MacOS 10.0 on MacOS 14.2.1, and I have had software break from MacOS 10.1 to MacOS 10.2. Every time going from an older version of Modern MacOS to the next point release, software breaks UNLESS the developer releases and update to ensure it works. This was not the case in Classic MacOS.
In the Office example I stated "unless the developer updates the software". Like I said most developers initially compile the software in updates for the next MacOS update, but not all do. My point is in OS 9, I can run an app made for System 1 that is going all the way back to first version of the OS. You absolutely cannot run software made for MacOS 10.0 on MacOS 14.2.1, and I have had software break from MacOS 10.1 to MacOS 10.2. Every time going from an older version of Modern MacOS to the next point release, software breaks UNLESS the developer releases and update to ensure it works. This was not the case in Classic MacOS.
Not really, I can still run 10 years old or more 64-bit versions of my apps (HandBrake and Subler) on the latest macOS.
The only major bug I remember was because I misused a Core Graphics API, and so the preview feature in HandBrake started crashing on 10.12 I think.
Of course there might be little UI misalignments and bugs, but usually an app don't stop working after a single major update. Some apps are blacklisted by Apple, like some older VMWare versions, but those usually used kexts.
The only major bug I remember was because I misused a Core Graphics API, and so the preview feature in HandBrake started crashing on 10.12 I think.
Of course there might be little UI misalignments and bugs, but usually an app don't stop working after a single major update. Some apps are blacklisted by Apple, like some older VMWare versions, but those usually used kexts.
As stated, that's not true, unless the developer has used obsolete APIs or done something else "dodgy". One of my apps was originally released for OS 10.4 and continued to work right through 10.14. It needed a 64-bit patch to run on 10.15, but that patched version continues to function on the current 14.2.