Snow Leopard on the new Air's - possible?

[macbook123]

As expected too much of the software my team and I regularly use isn't ready for Lion, which is why I was hoping Apple would start selling the hardware without waiting for the Lion upgrade, so people like us could actually use the new machines. But nope.

How hard is it to downgrade the new Air's to Snow Leopard? Will certain parts of the hardware not work?

Sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere. I couldn't find it.

 

[miles01110]

It might be possible, but it'll probably be very unstable.

 

[afriedrich]

You are sure about this?

The i7 hardware and all the rest was introduced with the 2011 MBP so I would assume that Snow Leopard will work just fine...

Actually I will need to run Snow Leopard for some time on my new MBA '13 i7 as lots of software (i.e. Adobe) seems to have issues with Lion for now...

 

[macbook123]

Thanks for the comment. I need some more reassurance. If anybody has actually tried it (how would I even install it?), please let me know. Thanks!

 

[fyrefly]

There's another thread on this here. There is a different Thunderbolt Controller chip and a new Bluetooth chip from Broadcom both of which probably don't have drivers (kexts) in Lion.

So it's probably a slim chance you could get a working Snow Leopard on a 2011 MBA. If nothing else, it'd have to be a "hackintosh"-type install, which is never awesome and updates might bork it.

 

[timnosenzo]

I asked the same question and the consensus was no.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1193302/

 

[afriedrich]

arghhh...

 

[macbook123]

It's one of the ways in which it was bad management to delay the release of the Air's so long, waiting for Lion. Doesn't make any sense to sell people hardware that they can't use. Also, doesn't make any sense to let folks like me who needed a new laptop months ago wait. I couldn't care less about Lion. I do care about the new Air though...

Oh well, guess I can't sell my old one yet and will have to return the new one to the store and be back in several months.

 

[vitzr]

It's one of the ways in which it was bad management to delay the release of the Air's so long, waiting for Lion. Doesn't make any sense to sell people hardware that they can't use. Also, doesn't make any sense to let folks like me who needed a new laptop months ago wait. I couldn't care less about Lion. I do care about the new Air though....

One must remember, this is Apple. They do things their way. It's not a matter of what we want, it's a matter of all the people that worship Steve, and actually believe he knows what we want, when we don't.

It's worked really well too, because he's got legions of followers that will simply buy anything Apple. Follow the company line, and repeatedly stand behind anything Apple does.

I know quite a few people that would like to buy new Macs between now and six months from now. They are already Mac users, and find Snow Leopard as excellent as I do. They are already using it, and would like their new machines to integrate into their Snow Leopard centric networks.

So in this case they are left out. But it won't make any difference because Apple has so much influence that they can ignore these users anyway.

By forcing users to accept the new OS, Apple exerts their dominance over the user, and it gets them used to the Apple way. By removing choice, Apple wins.

 

[admanimal]

By forcing users to accept the new OS, Apple exerts their dominance over the user, and it gets them used to the Apple way. By removing choice, Apple wins.

If you don't like the way they run their business, don't buy their products.

 

[vitzr]

If you don't like the way they run their business, don't buy their products.

I respect your opinion, try respecting mine without _assuming_ I don't like the way they run their business.

You what they say about people who ASSume.

 

[reputationZed]

One must remember, this is Apple. They do things their way. It's not a matter of what we want, it's a matter of all the people that worship Steve, and actually believe he knows what we want, when we don't.

It's worked really well too, because he's got legions of followers that will simply buy anything Apple. Follow the company line, and repeatedly stand behind anything Apple does.

I know quite a few people that would like to buy new Macs between now and six months from now. They are already Mac users, and find Snow Leopard as excellent as I do. They are already using it, and would like their new machines to integrate into their Snow Leopard centric networks.

So in this case they are left out. But it won't make any difference because Apple has so much influence that they can ignore these users anyway.

By forcing users to accept the new OS, Apple exerts their dominance over the user, and it gets them used to the Apple way. By removing choice, Apple wins.

You what they say about people who ASSume.

I've always found this saying to be very arrogant and condescending. We all make assumptions, some good, some bad. Whenever I hear someone throw "Assumptions make an ass of you and me" around I have to question whether or not they really need anyone's help in making an ass of themselves to begin with.

While I agree that Apple does things their own way the contention that their success is based solely on "Steve worship" and "legions of followers that will buy anything Apple makes" is overly simplistic and comes off as the wining of a spoiled child. Apple is an integration focused company. They see the mobile market as where we are headed and they are pushing their hardware and software in that direction. The MBA is the driving force towards that goal on the hardware side, and Lion is the OS that Apple has optimized to compliment the MBA's form factor.

So the MBA was delayed a few months for Lion. If the situation were reversed it's quite likey Apple would have delayed Lion for the MBA. Apple doesn't look at the MBA as a laptop and Lion as an OS, they see the MBA running Lion as an integrated solution that matches their vision of computing.

 

[vitzr]

If you don't like the way they run their business, don't buy their products.

reputationZed, please read this above...

If you read _my post_ at NO TIME did I say I didn't like the way Apple runs it's business.

So to comment that he assumed is 100% accurate.

Not only that, you conveniently left out the part where I stated that I respected the posters opinion, and that he / she should respect mine.

I was not the one that launched the attack. I simply responded.

I've always found this saying to be very arrogant and condescending. We all make assumptions, some good, some bad. Whenever I hear someone throw "Assumptions make an ass of you and me" around I have to question whether or not they really need anyone's help in making an ass of themselves to begin with.

While I agree that Apple does things their own way the contention that their success is based solely on "Steve worship" and "legions of followers that will buy anything Apple makes" is overly simplistic and comes off as the wining of a spoiled child. Apple is an integration focused company. They see the mobile market as where we are headed and they are pushing their hardware and software in that direction. The MBA is the driving force towards that goal on the hardware side, and Lion is the OS that Apple has optimized to compliment the MBA's form factor.

So the MBA was delayed a few months for Lion. If the situation were reversed it's quite likey Apple would have delayed Lion for the MBA. Apple doesn't look at the MBA as a laptop and Lion as an OS, they see the MBA running Lion as an integrated solution that matches their vision of computing.

I simply stated the truth in regards to how the legions of followers operate. If the truth is not something that can be stated then that's not my problem.

In _No_ Way_ was I critical of Apple for any delays or the timing of the introduction of MBA's. Again, if you go back and read the "other" posters remarks it was that person complaining about timing not me.

As a very long time (over a decade) Mac user and enthusiast and one who currently owns several Macs all less than two years old, I have a great fondness for Apple computers.

 

[admanimal]

The whole post that I responded to was filled with sarcastic criticism of Apple. Anyone with a 3rd grade reading comprehension would have come to the conclusion that you have issues with the way Apple does things.