Even though I’m not installing Mountain Lion on my primary boot drive just yet, I did install it on an external drive for testing purposes. I need to make sure Final Cut, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, Coda, and many other applications are working as expected and not somehow broken by the update.
I should be working on a website, but the server is having some issues so I’m taking some time to test out Mountain Lion today. Here are some of my initial thoughts (this is just a collection of random musings and not a focused review).
<h2>First Impressions</h2>
It is clear that after the buggy release of Lion, Apple didn’t want to go down that road again. There seems to be far less bugs so far than I had encountered with Lion by this time. So we are definitely off on better footing on that front.
Having started my computing life proper with Windows 2000, I am always amazed at just how little effort and time modern versions of OS X take to install. I didn’t time it exactly, but it was roughly 35 minutes from click on installer to Mountain Lion desktop. This of course was a clean install on an external drive so your mileage may vary, but I remember when that process was longer and took more steps to get there.
<h2>Final Cut 7</h2>
Because I’m an editor, and still need access to Final Cut 7, the first thing I did was test this application which Apple is no longer updating, to make sure we weren’t on the short road to complete obsoletion. To my relief I would say Final Cut 7 functions better on Mountain Lion than it did on Lion. There were some minor annoying bugs with FCP 7 on Lion that are not present on Mountain Lion.
<h2>Other Pro-Level Apps</h2>
As expected, Final Cut X functions fine in Mountain Lion, as does Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Motion 5, and After Effects.
<h2>iCloud</h2>
During the shorter then ever before set-up process after the install, but before getting to the Desktop, I was asked if I wanted to set up iCloud. I entered my iCloud ID and password, and almost everything to do with iCloud was set up for me. Strangely Mail was not set up, but a quick trip to System Preferences and a tick of a checkbox corrected that problem. It was strange that Mail was not turned on by default, but not a huge deal.
I look forward to more and more settings carrying over through iCloud. I’m thinking here of wallpaper, dock icon arrangement, <a href="#fn:dockarrange">1</a> general system preferences such as mouse speed, keyboard key repeat speed settings and more.
<h2>Notes</h2>
The new Notes application is exactly what I have been wanting for many years. Simple, easy notes, with folders and completely cloud syncing. And it actually works very well. Of course I changed the font to something manageable (the default is Noteworthy, which is utterly horrible).
One minor annoyance, there is a nag dialog every time I want to delete a note and no preference to disable it.
<h2>Space Theme</h2>
Seriously, the space themed default wallpaper is getting ridiculous and old. I changed it to something much more manageable almost right away.
<h2>Twitter</h2>
Tweetbot uses Twitter’s official authorization API of course, which means sending me to the website, logging in to Twitter and authorizing. Upon successful authorization, OS X asked me if I also wanted to add the account to the system preferences. This I felt was a nice touch.
<h2>Reminders</h2>
Moving Reminders out of iCal Calendar and to it’s own app is great. And of course still synced with all devices via iCloud.
Medium annoyance: I wish there was a way to view all reminders — in both iOS and OS X. Only being able to view them by list is a little annoying.
<h2>iCal Calendar</h2>
The calendar list sidebar makes a triumphant return and thank goodness. I <a href="/blog/2011/07/25/lion-day-one-in-actual-working-environment">complained</a> about the pop-over introduced in Lion so I am very glad they fixed it.
<h2>The Dock</h2>
The new, more subtle, almost blurred look is welcome. The reflections, the gloss, everything about the Dock is much more subtle, and that’s good. I liked the new 3D dock when it was first introduced, but it soon started to feel a little too garish. In fact I find that a lot about things like this. Don’t get me wrong, I love polish and beautiful interfaces, but it can be overdone. This is just more of the refinement process that OS X has been going through to tone down the more garish aspects of the interface and it’s welcome change.
One interesting and nice refinement to the Dock is that you can’t just drag apps out of the Dock by accident anymore. You have to drag up a little further from the Dock than you would expect, and hold for a moment before the “poof” cloud appears and you can let go to remove the icon from the Dock. This will save me a lot of frustration and headache, as I imagine it will most users.
<h2>Notifications</h2>
Great to see native, Growl-like notifications coming to OS X, but as with notifications on iOS, I wish there was a way to see when there are unread notifications. A badge on the icon in the menu bar or something.
Notifications did bump spotlight from it’s place of glory in the coveted left hand space of the menu bar, and that feels little odd. Somehow it feels off that spotlight hangs out so close to the side, but not docked to the side. I’m sure I’ll get used to it.
<h2>Total Finder</h2>
<a href="http://totalfinder.binaryage.com">Total Finder</a> brings some great enhancements to the Finder and I like it. It seems to work fine in Mountain Lion.
<h2>Safari</h2>
The loading progress bar is… interesting…
<h2>Software Updates</h2>
All software updates that previously went through the stand alone “Software Update” application now go through the App Store. I think this mostly brings unity to the user experience, but there’s still “some” strangeness. Like getting my Final Cut Pro 7 updates through the App Store was a little weird from the stand point that the software didn’t originally come form there.
System updates coming from there make total sense however.
That’s all I have for now. More will follow in the weeks to come I’m sure. Still not sure when I’ll update my primary boot drive.
<hr>
<ol>
<li>Yes, I realize that Dock syncing was a part of Dotmac and Mobile Me, but it was so poorly executed as to be useless. I kept it turned off because it would frequently re-arrange my dock or remove icons that I had placed there. It was nightmarish. <a href="#fnref:dockarrange">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Here Kitty Kitty

<blockquote>
The first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation is finally here in HD. Just in time for the 25th anniversary, the series makes its debut on Blu-ray on Tuesday. TrekMovie has had some time to check out the new set and it is impressive. More details and photos in our review.
</blockquote>
Be sure to go check out the screenshots. Like any good geek, I opened the comparison shots in tabs and switched back and forth between them to compare. I really love what they are doing with the remaster!

Athony Pascale writing at TrekMovie.com

TNG Remastered - Season 1 Available Today

<blockquote>
Should the iPhone 5 go multi-colored?
</blockquote>
No.

iMore

Multi-Colored iPhone?

<blockquote>
I’m guessing, like the third-generation iPad, that the next iPhone will simply be called “iPhone” in marketing and “iPhone (6th generation)” in technical and support documents.
</blockquote>
Exactly. Mark it for claim chowder for me too. Because that’s my prediction.

Marco Arment

'iPhone 5' Makes No Sense


<blockquote>
There’s room for one or two niche clients such as Sparrow, but only if they’re radically different from the system clients. Thunderbird isn’t. (And I can’t speak for its recent years, but for most of its history, it’s been good on Windows but buggy as **** on Macs.)
</blockquote>
I can’t tell you how much I don’t care that Thunderbird is end of life. It is in the top ten most horrible email clients on the face of the earth. I would rather use Outlook (shudder). And Marco is absolutely right about it being worse on Mac.

Thunderbird's Death


<a href="http://www.macdrifter.com/2012/07/1password-on-the-mac-app-store/">Gabe at Macdrifer »</a>
<blockquote>
Roustem Karimov of AgileBits tweeted that the latest 1Password update was rejected for sandboxing entitlements.
</blockquote>
He goes on to say how he is not upset or unhappy with the Mac App Store.
<blockquote>
As someone that is a power-user, you might think that I am upset with the Mac App Store. I am not. I have seen no indication that Apple plans to block traditional application installs.
</blockquote>
Well I am. I am both deeply concerned, and very upset with what Apple is doing. Apple’s approach was already restrictive when they first opened the Mac App Store. But now they are turning the screws even tighter.
Consider the disparity between versions of Coda 2. Now, Coda 2 is absolutely a power user’s tool, you use it to write code, connect to FTP servers, and SSH for crying out loud. But there are certain advantages to being in the Mac App Store, namely iCloud syncing of saved sites. I had a really hard time making up my mind about whether I wanted Mac App Store Coda 2, or Direct Download Coda 2. At any time, Apple could tighten down the screws of the App Store even tighter and kill real functionality that I use all the time in Coda. Coda 2 slid in before the Sandboxing deadline, and there is no way Coda would be nearly as good or useful if it adhered to Apple’s Sandboxing. But certain features are not available to the non App Store version of Coda 2.
The problem is that Apple is starting to fence off parts of the operating system for Mac App Store apps only. Clearly Apple believes if you want to develop a good Application, then you should be distributing it through the Mac App Store where the best APIs and services are available to you. And make no mistake, I believe the only reason the Mac is open to software outside of the Mac App Store is because pandora’s box was opened almost 30 years ago. If you want proof, look at iOS. If Apple created the Mac today… well, news flash, they did create the equivalent of the Mac today, it’s the iPhone and iPad.
And, I’m not even saying that it’s not the right model. I’m saying that Apple’s approach to it is starting to become a little too tight fisted. Here’s a question, how many of Apple’s own apps in the Mac App Store adhere to sandboxing policy? Do you really think Final Cut Pro X adhere’s to sandboxing policy?
Consider iBooks on iOS. iBooks is allowed to adjust system brightness. No other app is allowed access to that API and would be rejected from the app store if they tried (we know because some apps have tried that). But Apple’s iBooks available freely in the App Store does just that.
Look, Apple can do what it wants to do, I’m not arguing that it’s technically wrong. I am arguing that they need to step back and take a good, long, hard look at the issues here. I don’t personally use 1Password, but it’s a great app, and it’s not like it’s some system level utility or anything. If it can’t be in the app store, there are some deep issues here.

Thoughts On The Mac App Store and Sandboxing

<blockquote>
Like it does with the iOS Personal Hotspot feature, U.S. carrier AT&#x26;T appears set to control and charge for the iOS 6 FaceTime over Cellular feature.
</blockquote>
Because capping your data, charging for overages, and having a separate, higher rate plan for tethering are all not enough. AT&#x26;T needs to also charge you another fee for accessing your limited data.
This is getting ridiculous.

Mark Gurman writing on 9to5Mac

AT&T and Tripple Dipping

I save too many links and never get around to posting them. But even though this is thirteen days old, it’s well worth posting.
<blockquote>
On the other hand, there are numerous instances of developers struggling to meet the newly imposed requirements. And there are valuable app features being lost in the shuffle. Here are a few examples:
</blockquote>
I’m saddened by what’s on the list and that Apple seems to be stubbornly pressing on with this and not addressing the issue.
Also, there’s this:
<blockquote>
<a href="http://ihnatko.com/2012/06/26/one-more-lame-analogy-about-the-app-store/">Andy Ihnatko made a similar point</a> when he compared the “App Store vs. externally-sold apps” situation to cable vs. network television shows. Network shows are constrained by numerous regulations in order to qualify for network airing. Cable shows, especially those on premium channels such as HBO, have no such restrictions. By most criteria, the result has been that most of the best shows on television are on premium channels. Andy concludes: “Under the new rules, there’s the risk that Mac software might occasionally be as good as ‘The West Wing’ but it could never be as great as ‘Boardwalk Empire.’ [For the time being], there will be some very real limitations on how good a Mac app can be.”
</blockquote>
I’m not familiar with either of those shows, but the analogy seems very sound.

Ted Landau writing at The Mac Observer

One Month of Sandboxing

<blockquote>
Alongside the release of iOS 6 beta 3 with support for @icloud.com iCloud Mail domains, Apple has updated its iCloud.com beta website to support the new domain option.
</blockquote>
Good… mostly. It’s irritating that Apple can’t make up it’s mind what domain it wants it’s users email addressees to be at, but I always, HATED @me.com. Stupidest branding ever, stupidest email address domain ever.

9to5Mac

iCloud.com Emails

<blockquote>
Now that Stargate is no longer on television and MGM (the studio that owns the rights to the franchise) is under new management — a management that so far has been focusing more on recovering the film side of the historic studio’s business — it seems like more than wishful thinking.
</blockquote>
…
<blockquote>
“Stargate has always had this empty hole,” he said. “When we made the first one, we always intended on doing part two and three, and we were prevented for years. And our hope is that we can get another chance at Stargate and tell the entire story we wanted to tell.”
That Devlin still wants to do sequels is nothing new. It’s been a year since Devlin last commented publicly on his desire to finish the original film trilogy.
</blockquote>
I love Stargate. Specifically, I love the Stargate SG1 and Stargate Atlantis TV series. The original movie was mediocre to it’s very core and only worth watching to get the beginning of the story. The idea that Devlin and Emmerich want to ignore the TV work that followed up on the movie, and do a direct sequel to the Stargate Movie smacks of arrogance and pride, as well as spitting in the fans’ faces.
What we want (I think I speak for most Stargate fans), is more Stargate that follows the story and chronology of all Stargate. Not a writer and a director with something to prove, pride to maintain, and grapes to sour.

GateWorld

Stargate Movie Sequel

<blockquote>
Avid have been in poor financial health for a while, the company has been shedding jobs on a regular basis to try and keep costs down. In October 2011 Avid laid off 10% of their workforce and today Avid announced that they intend to reduce the headcount further by another 20%.
</blockquote>
In trying to broaden my base and knowledge of NLEs, I tried using Avid a little bit. As much as I complained about how dated Final Cut 7 looked and felt at times, Avid is in far worse shape. It’s mired in old paradigms that don’t work in the digital age, a steep learning curve, senseless and cluttered UI, and a host of other problems I’m not going to take the time to get into right now. Suffice it to say I do not wonder why they are not doing well.

Peter Wiggins writing at FCP.io

Avid isn't doing so well


<blockquote>
The Acer Aspire S5 is actually thinner and lighter than a 13-inch MacBook Air, but has meager battery life and costs $200 more. That must be the Apple Tax at work, because all I’m ever told is I can buy better PCs for less than the cost of a comparable Mac.
</blockquote>
I’ve noticed this trend for a while. Long before Macs gained their current popularity, a PC of similar specifications that wouldn’t fall apart after a few months was just as much money. This was in 2004 when I bought my first Mac. Now, Macs are actually less expensive comparatively.
What confuses people I think is that Apple does not compete on the really low end. If Apple cannot make the product of a decent quality, then they don’t make it.

Posts tagged “Opinion” from the blog