Snow Leopard Security Update Kills PowerPC Apps Using Rosetta

[KPOM]

I doubt they did this on purpose. Unfortunately, it seems to be another QC issue. Apple needs to get this sorted out, or it will lead to reputational problems. In the meantime, attention grabbing headlines like this one just make the situation worse.

Enterprises who run Windows deliberately disable automatic updates for this very reason. Sometimes an update does unexpected things, and even the best QC doesn't catch everything.

 

[polaris20]

So what was he supposed to do? There was no upgrade path or migration plan 5 years ago either.

This is why my dad still uses Appleworks. I said the same thing to him 5 years ago: "Upgrade!"

He said "Sure, help me do it." Every solution I found would have taken hours and hours of work to manually re-make his databases so I gave up and told him to keep using Appleworks.

Now we're having to do all that this year, but whatever. It's the same amount of work now as it would have been back then, so why does it matter when we do it? There is no "upgrade path."

Then there needs to be a migration plan, even if it's as colossally ugly as doing things manually, or hiring a consultant to assist in the migration. I'm not saying it's pleasant, but having worked in IT for several years, to me it's completely dumb to run a business on something that's been EOL'd for nearly 5 years, and have not already been greatly working on a plan.

Developers have to re-write code when things change so drastically that they can't use existing platforms. Committees decide to discard previous infrastructure and force IT to start from scratch. Stuff happens all the time like this. The point is, if it's for a professional business, you've got to have already thought of this, or hire someone to think of it for you, otherwise you end up in ugly situations like this.

It's not like Apple is the first company to do something like this.

 

[StephenCampbell]

"Nobody panic! It was deliberate! It was deliberate!"

 

[roadbloc]

Time to upgrade, folks.

What if you don't want to? Forcing people to use newer software by just removing features isn't the solution. I hope Apple didn't do this intentionally and I hope it is fixed shortly. Apple's quality control department have been asleep this week it seems.

Apple will have upset a lot of people if this was intentional.

 

[InuNacho]

It's curious why they dropped such support already. Granted, I will admit that I can get around all programs needing Rosetta... except one: Unreal Tournament 99. I can understand people with old and expensive software suites like old Adobe and Office not wanting to go to Lion because they would need to drop $2000+ for new software.

Hell, Apple should just SELL a Rosetta plug-in for the cash to keep it developed. If it was $19.99 every 2 years to upgrade the plug-in for the newest OSX, I doubt most people would be upset by the price.

UT99 works with Rosetta? I thought the OS X port was half completed and never finished.

I run the original Adobe CS and upgrading to Lion would ruin that. Yea sure I only use it to make stupid internet memes and the occasional birthday "funny poster" but it gets the job done quite effectively despite being 8 years old.

I don't see paying $200 for the academic edition and waiting several years for it to download worth the upgrade to Lion. I'd gladly pay $20 for a Rosetta so I could just buy a new up to date Mac instead of poking around refurb stores hoping to find an elusive SL compatible Mac.

 

[nikhsub1]

What if you don't want to? Forcing people to use newer software by just removing features isn't the solution. I hope Apple didn't do this intentionally and I hope it is fixed shortly. Apple's quality control department have been asleep this week it seems.

Apple will have upset a lot of people if this was intentional.

I'm sure there are still folks saying the same thing about OS 9 However, this is a pretty bad blunder for Apple.

 

[The Phazer]

While I would never suggest that you upgrade to Lion, I am find it curious that you you feel "forced to upgrade to Lion".

Who is "forcing" you? Do you feel a metaphorical gun to your head?

As well as the previously mentioned iCloud/MobileMe issue, the newest version of XCode doesn't work on SL for no apparent reason, and iBooks Author doesn't work under SL either (despite the fact that if you hack the installer to pretend it's installed on Lion, it actually works fine so the block is for no technical reason).

Phazer

 

[KnightWRX]

Why's everyone slating Apple's QC? In all seriousness, every OS update brings problems to a minority of users, that's just the nature of OS updates. That's been the case forever.

Security updates to existing OSes shouldn't break components of the system. I don't know what kind of regressions Apple has for Rosetta, but they obviously didn't catch this bug. That is why people are giving their QC a slamming.

 

[Small White Car]

Then there needs to be a migration plan, even if it's as colossally ugly as doing things manually

That was and is the plan.

So yeah, we have a plan. I just think it sucks that that had to be the plan. I'm frankly annoyed that after so many years and so many users Apple did nothing to help those people when they killed the program.

 

[spazzcat]

First the 10.7.3 "CUI CUI CUI ? ? ? ? ?" errors with Application crashes...

Now this...Application crashes on Rosetta in Snow Leopard...

What is Apple coming to? Do we need Jobs back?

Zombie Jobs is even harder to work with...

 

[KnightWRX]

So what was he supposed to do? There was no upgrade path or migration plan 5 years ago either.

This is why my dad still uses Appleworks. I said the same thing to him 5 years ago: "Upgrade!"

He said "Sure, help me do it." Every solution I found would have taken hours and hours of work to manually re-make his databases so I gave up and told him to keep using Appleworks.

Now we're having to do all that this year, but whatever. It's the same amount of work now as it would have been back then, so why does it matter when we do it? There is no "upgrade path."

This is Apple's official path : http://www.filemaker.com/products/bento/appleworks.html from their AppleWorks support page.

 

[polaris20]

That was and is the plan.

So yeah, we have a plan. I just think it sucks that that had to be the plan. I'm frankly annoyed that after so many years and so many users Apple did nothing to help those people when they killed the program.

Not that it's any more comforting, but this is hardly unique to Apple.

 

[0dev]

Security updates to existing OSes shouldn't break components of the system. I don't know what kind of regressions Apple has for Rosetta, but they obviously didn't catch this bug. That is why people are giving their QC a slamming.

It's fine to get annoyed over a bug, but it's also unreasonable to expect Apple to write perfect code. Everything has bugs, especially updates which have to patch parts of the system.

 

[fxtech]

Not just that, I can literary write down here tonnes of bugs that the current version of iPhone/iOS have.

Undoubtedly, the Quality Check has degraded and Apple really needs to work in this dept. now. Something, I never thought I would say.

This isn't a new thing. Apple's QC has always been atrocious, for as long as I can remember. Pretty much every single OS release and application update has broken something that I've then had to scramble to fix.

I'm glad people seem to be mostly sympathetic for people who for whatever reason still need to run PPC software. I'd expect the more common response here would be "Why are you running that old crap? Upgrade or die - that is the Apple way." Of course, that belies the fact that some of us use our computers for more than just checking the twitterz.

 

[KnightWRX]

It's fine to get annoyed over a bug, but it's also unreasonable to expect Apple to write perfect code. Everything has bugs, especially updates which have to patch parts of the system.

Yes, that's what Quality Control departments (or Quality Assurance, Q&A) departments are for, and that's what Regression tests attempt to find for developers to fix before code ships out to production systems.

It's not unreasonable to ask Apple Q&A to have proper regressions in place for supported components of the system. They haven't announced EoS for Snow Leopard yet and Snow Leopard contains Rosetta.

 

[roadbloc]

I'm sure there are still folks saying the same thing about OS 9 However, this is a pretty bad blunder for Apple.

Obviously there is a cut off point, however that is a personal thing. If you have a PowerPC app that is essential to your computer use and you have no desire to update to Lion, then you should be entitled to continue using your computer as you are without an update removing functionality to force people to move on.

Thats on the unlikely chance that it was intentional. I have however always found it interesting that you can use an App from the year 2000 fine on the latest version of Windows and yet it is not possible on OS X. I do wish Apple would have the level of support that Microsoft has for its software.

 

[Viper2005]

Never mind the security updates.. Apple, when are we getting iCloud support for 10.6??
Still waiting....

 

[JAT]

First the 10.7.3 "CUI CUI CUI ? ? ? ? ?" errors with Application crashes...

Now this...Application crashes on Rosetta in Snow Leopard...

What is Apple coming to? Do we need Jobs back?

Actually, I find it better to wait on ALL Apple updates. I like their software, but not the first week. This has been true since the 80s.

 

[fxtech]

It's fine to get annoyed over a bug, but it's also unreasonable to expect Apple to write perfect code. Everything has bugs, especially updates which have to patch parts of the system.

I'm sorry, but it is NOT unreasonable to expect them to thoroughly test their patches. It's not like they can't afford to do it. They just seem to have a different attitude about updates than most companies.

 

[*LTD*]

What if you don't want to?

Then be prepared to deal with the consequences. Snow Leopard is now a superseded OS.

 

[JPyre]

How did beta testers not discover this?

I noticed it immediately, and reimaged and replicated it on multiple machines within 3 hours I knew exactly what was wrong.

They need to invite me in for free, i duno what i have to do, i file bug reports all the time.

 

[Gemütlichkeit]

PowerPC people complaining?

 

[pdjudd]

Not that it's any more comforting, but this is hardly unique to Apple.

Indeed. See migrating from Windows XP to 7 - lots of manual work. Heck, I was forced into manual conversion of tons and tons of Quark files to migrate them to InDesign. We are trying to figure out migrating tons of Act contact files from an obsolete version of Act into a centralized CRM system. Both of these things require tons of work to do and we are a decent sized company. The older your products are, the tougher things are to accomplish these things. Sometimes the only path is manual conversion. It stinks, but thats how things are sometimes.

 

[roadbloc]

Then be prepared to deal with the consequences. Snow Leopard is now a superseded OS.

Whoa. Thats really consumer friendly. "Hey there Snow Leopard user. Even though you are really happy with you Mac and the software that runs on it, you need to buy our new software. Or we are going to remove functionality until you have a £1000 paperweight sat on your desk."

Is that seriously what you're implying? People need to always get the latest Apple gear to be able to do anything? Because aside from it being very inaccurate (I'm sure this Rosetta deal was just an example of Apple's dizzy Q&A department nowadays), but I'm sure if Apple were to undertake such an attitude and practice, many once happy Apple users will be switching to Windows. I know I would be, I don't want to have a constant flow of cash going to Apple just so I can continue doing what I've always done on my computer.

Your attitude never ceases to amaze me. Do you seriously believe what you have posted there? Buy Lion or else? Give me a break.

 

[GenesisST]

Time to upgrade, folks.

Oh, FFS! How the can I update my iMac 1.83Ghz to Lion? Get off your high horses!

I don't mind leaving that machine on SL, but, please Apple, don't break things with security updates. Just don't do security updates for that matter if you don't want to support it.

If its a bug that will be fixed, then fine, fix it.