
Apple's new Catalina operating system won't run old versions of Word - jseliger
https://slate.com/technology/2019/10/apples-new-catalina-operating-system-wont-run-old-versions-of-word.html
======
jseliger
I find it revealing that this is appearing in such a mainstream, non-techie
venue. It would also be nice if in the installer did a sweep of the
applications folder and listed which applications are incompatible, then gave
users the option to update, rather than updating, then leaving a shit
surprise. To my knowledge that's not how the installer works right now.

~~~
ksaj
Agreed. The opposite triggers are in place - if you try to install something
from a dmg and it won't run on your older version of OSX, it puts a "No
Smoking" style circle and slash across the install icon and won't let you run
it. Included is a little warning that the install is meant for a minimum OS
version that isn't met on the particular system.

Funny that they wouldn't do that the other way around for updates of the OS
itself, to ensure the stability of all you have built up on it. It doesn't
always "just work" in that sense.

I haven't updated OSX major version in so many years it isn't funny, because I
got fed up with Logic constantly breaking every time. Unless there is a
pressing need to update either, my Mac Pro is staying exactly at the _stable_
versions it has been for what Apple clearly thinks is much too long.

EDIT: Small bit of history most people probably didn't notice: When Apple
bought Logic, they killed the Windows version. That was okay, since the file
formats were compatible. But then the first upgrade after that completely
killed the Windows compatibility, and they (for whatever reason) never thought
it important enough to provide a converter.

So many musicians were left with tracks that they had to completely re-arrange
from the raw tracks, or re-record in order to continue working with older
projects. And either way, you lost everything relating to MIDI in that
process. It was seriously pathetic and unprofessional of them.

That's the crux that stopped me from doing major updates unless I KNOW
everything will keep working, and there is something in it that is of interest
to me (I don't care about interface "art" like whether the buttons are 3D or
flat, etc... that's not enough to risk losing all my work.)

