Snow Leopard WARNING!!

[John McGhie]

All:

Snow Leopard arrives this Friday (American time ‹ Saturday in the other half
of the world).

So this is to head off the usual chorus of "I upgraded to Snow Leopard and
now my Office won't work and I need to get my assignment in by next
Tuesday!!!"

Yes. And your point is?

In other words: if you replace the operating system of a computer with a new
version, you can guarantee that SOME software on that computer will have
some issues. Know this, as a FACT. Apple and Microsoft cannot test
"everything" ‹ it's physically impossible. So it's certain that SOMETHING
won't work. And it may take weeks or months for a cure to be found.

It is even possible that Microsoft Word will not work at all, maybe forever.
Yes, it "could" get that bad, in theory. In practice, it's more likely that
some quite obscure component or function will have a problem.

But if YOU happen to be using that component or function, it could indeed
put YOU out of business.

If you depend on your computer in some way: for example, to do your work:
allow someone else to upgrade first. Keep a watch on what happens in here.
If there are major issues, you will hear about them in here within a week.

This message comes to you from my business computer. It will not be
upgraded to Snow Leopard until after I have upgraded the laptop and proved
that everything I use works there. If what you do on your computer is
important, then you are responsible to yourself for finding a way to TEST
before you Upgrade.

I know, I'm wasting my breath ‹ there'll be a chorus of "Helllpppp!! I
upgraded and now it won't work" in here on Monday. As usual. And I will be
utterly frustrated because there will be nothing I can do to help, for about
a month. As usual.

{Sigh}

I hope this helps at least one person


This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

--

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[Phillip Jones, C.E.T.]

I believe you! but then The option of updating on my computers are moot.
as both are Power PC's and a snow Leopard is INTEL ONLY.

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

All:

Snow Leopard arrives this Friday (American time ‹ Saturday in the other half
of the world).

So this is to head off the usual chorus of "I upgraded to Snow Leopard and
now my Office won't work and I need to get my assignment in by next
Tuesday!!!"

Yes. And your point is?

In other words: if you replace the operating system of a computer with a new
version, you can guarantee that SOME software on that computer will have
some issues. Know this, as a FACT. Apple and Microsoft cannot test
"everything" ‹ it's physically impossible. So it's certain that SOMETHING
won't work. And it may take weeks or months for a cure to be found.

It is even possible that Microsoft Word will not work at all, maybe forever.
Yes, it "could" get that bad, in theory. In practice, it's more likely that
some quite obscure component or function will have a problem.

But if YOU happen to be using that component or function, it could indeed
put YOU out of business.

If you depend on your computer in some way: for example, to do your work:
allow someone else to upgrade first. Keep a watch on what happens in here.
If there are major issues, you will hear about them in here within a week.

This message comes to you from my business computer. It will not be
upgraded to Snow Leopard until after I have upgraded the laptop and proved
that everything I use works there. If what you do on your computer is
important, then you are responsible to yourself for finding a way to TEST
before you Upgrade.

I know, I'm wasting my breath ‹ there'll be a chorus of "Helllpppp!! I
upgraded and now it won't work" in here on Monday. As usual. And I will be
utterly frustrated because there will be nothing I can do to help, for about
a month. As usual.

{Sigh}

I hope this helps at least one person


This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

--

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

John,

I think you may be hanging out on the Windows side of the fence too
much. We're talking Apple and MacBU here, not Windows and the Windows
Office folks.

It's no secret that Microsoft and Apple, despite the jibes in ad
campaigns, actually collaborate with each other regarding Office and Mac
OS X. IMHO, Office is too important to both Apple and Microsoft to allow
a new implementation of Mac OS X be lame when working with existing
Office versions.

In fact, I'd be surprised to find more than one or two glitches with
Snow Leopard, and even those I expect to be on the esoteric side.

Anyone can join Apple's developer program and get pre-release copies of
new versions of Mac OS. The URL is http://developer.apple.com/ but it
takes $$ to get preview copies of Mac OS X. I expect IT professionals to
pay the piper so that they are properly prepared when release day comes
(August 28, in this case).

I think it's really unfair to post a warning about something you haven't
tried yet. If you already have Snow Leopard you know exactly what to
expect, but can't talk about it - even if you know that there probably
won't be any of the problems you mentioned.

If you know of a specific anomaly, wait till Snow Leopard is released
and then post a rational trouble report about it. But issuing warnings
about something no one can even talk about is not good form, IMHO.

-Jim

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Jim:

Well, *I* think it is very good form to post a warning. In fact, I think it
is my duty to do so

We do have new users here who do not understand the Software Development
Life Cycle and such; and who do not know that in a Graphical User
Application, some 80 per cent of the work is actually done by the Operating
System.

Office 2008 is one of the most graphical and complex applications there is.
If you change the operating system, effectively you are changing 80 per cent
of Office.

So with each new version, those who are a bit newer at this game than you or
I get a scare/problem/crisis because something doesn't work right (or at
all...)

So I am trying to save at least some of them from pain and heartache, by
saying "If you rely on Microsoft Office; or if you have an important
deadline coming up, don't blindly leap in and upgrade."

I simply suggest that if it "matters", they make plans to wait until they
have prepared a safety strategy, so if it all goes pear-shaped, they won't
get hurt. In my case, I have two Macs: I will upgrade one and test. If all
goes well, I will upgrade the other. If not, I can stay in business while
they work it out

After 40-odd years in and around the software industry, I think it would be
very unfair for me NOT to offer this knowledge to those who do not yet have
it. I did, of course, gain this knowledge the hard way...

I shall now settle back and use YOU as one of my backup strategies When
YOU come on here crowing "See, I told you there would be no problems, it all
works just fine!!" I will put the DVD in the hole on MY computer

Cheers

John,

I think you may be hanging out on the Windows side of the fence too
much. We're talking Apple and MacBU here, not Windows and the Windows
Office folks.

It's no secret that Microsoft and Apple, despite the jibes in ad
campaigns, actually collaborate with each other regarding Office and Mac
OS X. IMHO, Office is too important to both Apple and Microsoft to allow
a new implementation of Mac OS X be lame when working with existing
Office versions.

In fact, I'd be surprised to find more than one or two glitches with
Snow Leopard, and even those I expect to be on the esoteric side.

Anyone can join Apple's developer program and get pre-release copies of
new versions of Mac OS. The URL is http://developer.apple.com/ but it
takes $$ to get preview copies of Mac OS X. I expect IT professionals to
pay the piper so that they are properly prepared when release day comes
(August 28, in this case).

I think it's really unfair to post a warning about something you haven't
tried yet. If you already have Snow Leopard you know exactly what to
expect, but can't talk about it - even if you know that there probably
won't be any of the problems you mentioned.

If you know of a specific anomaly, wait till Snow Leopard is released
and then post a rational trouble report about it. But issuing warnings
about something no one can even talk about is not good form, IMHO.

-Jim

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

--

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[thg]

Well, *I* think it is very good form to post a warning. In fact, I think it

is my duty to do so

I agree. Having spent a number of years in Apple's help forums, I am always astounded how many people feel compelled to immediately install every update that comes their way on machines they depend upon for their daily bread and butter, which already do their job just fine, with no alternative in case something goes wrong, and then in fact do wind up in deep trouble because some particular feature crucial to their particular activity no longer functions.

 

[Snit]

John McGhie stated in post C6B9E93D.2419%[email protected] on 8/25/09 2:17
AM:

Hi Jim:

Well, *I* think it is very good form to post a warning. In fact, I think it
is my duty to do so

We do have new users here who do not understand the Software Development
Life Cycle and such; and who do not know that in a Graphical User
Application, some 80 per cent of the work is actually done by the Operating
System.

Office 2008 is one of the most graphical and complex applications there is.
If you change the operating system, effectively you are changing 80 per cent
of Office.

So with each new version, those who are a bit newer at this game than you or
I get a scare/problem/crisis because something doesn't work right (or at
all...)

So I am trying to save at least some of them from pain and heartache, by
saying "If you rely on Microsoft Office; or if you have an important
deadline coming up, don't blindly leap in and upgrade."

I simply suggest that if it "matters", they make plans to wait until they
have prepared a safety strategy, so if it all goes pear-shaped, they won't
get hurt. In my case, I have two Macs: I will upgrade one and test. If all
goes well, I will upgrade the other. If not, I can stay in business while
they work it out

After 40-odd years in and around the software industry, I think it would be
very unfair for me NOT to offer this knowledge to those who do not yet have
it. I did, of course, gain this knowledge the hard way...

I shall now settle back and use YOU as one of my backup strategies When
YOU come on here crowing "See, I told you there would be no problems, it all
works just fine!!" I will put the DVD in the hole on MY computer

Cheers

I, for one, have already ordered Snow Leopard but will sit on it a week or
more... drooling on the DVD from time to time as I look at how shiny and new
it is.

With that said, your warning did not push me to that - my plan already. MS
Word is not the reason, but several other software packages I use are key to
my productivity and if they were to not work I would be toast... or at least
slightly warm bread.

Your advice makes sense to anyone who is dependent on their computer for
personal or professional work. Upgrading an OS can offer some cool
benefits, but it also offers risk. Always. The people who install ASAP and
report their headaches will be doing me a great service. Bring on the
complaints!