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We need to document macOS

eclecticlight.co

71–80 of 266 posts

Re: We need to document macOS

#71

When I did some work on porting out product to macOS (so developers could run their server environment locally, though a few loons wanted to actually run macOS on servers), I was immediately struck by how awful and incomplete the documentation was. And, I've been working in the Linux world for a couple decades...where docs are copious but wrong about 50% of the time. In particular, the service launcher (launchd, ment…

> But, I'm kinda baffled why anyone would volunteer to provide free labor to one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world.

Somewhat related, it has become Apple user/developer etiquette not to mention bugs without filing a bug report on Apple's closed issue tracker beforehand:

https://blackpixel.com/writing/2012/02/radar-or-gtfo.html

I can't believe how many hours I've wasted on detailed bug reports only for them to be closed as a duplicate, or "works as expected".

If you are frustrated with Apple, there is only one thing that works: 1) be influential, 2) complain publicly. If you want macOS to be documented, don't do it yourself. Find people at prominent media outlets and start the meme that Apple's documentation sucks, and that it matters for . Add all sorts of pressure and with any luck, Apple will address this issue to turn the narrative around in its favour.

Since I don't have any of that power, I try to find open source projects that affect me and donate time or money to them instead.

Re: We need to document macOS

#72

OT a bit but I think still related. 8 years ago when I switch to OSX I was furious with finder. Tiny window, no hierarchical browsing and the search just doesn't do shit that is useful. I normally default to locate or find now so much that I was using it the other day I was reminded about how much it sucked. It's literally identical (aside from tags and labels) to what it was forever ago and is a terrible paradigm. I…

I love reading these hilariously entitled comments from people who must have either ignored or foregone considering their choice of env years ago while anyone sensible and reasonably intelligent realized how to avoid these issues in the first place. No, you do not get any hand-holding in the world of technology; you can't simultaneously hope for a consumer product that "Just Works^TM" and demand your customization ne…

I don't see how wanting a competent file manager or at least have the ability to completely switch to a different one has anything to do with "hilarious entitlement", it seems like a pretty reasonable expectation.

> you can't simultaneously hope for a consumer product that "Just Works^TM" and demand your customization needs

The problem is Finder "doesn't just work" for many people, so yeah, they should be allowed to swap it, that has nothing to do with it "just working' in other parts of the system.

Re: We need to document macOS

#73
There is a saying in French which says that half of the treatment to get better is to recognize/admit you're sick . There is an other saying which says "Faute avouée est à moitié pardonnée" (If you admit a flaw/mistake, you're already half the way through forgiveness).

That to say that maybe there is a lack of documentation because Apple would have to admit to itself (...and to the world) that macOS is not the absolutely perfect OS without any flaws, virus/malware, or room for improvement, that they want all of us to believe.

Re: We need to document macOS

#74

OT a bit but I think still related. 8 years ago when I switch to OSX I was furious with finder. Tiny window, no hierarchical browsing and the search just doesn't do shit that is useful. I normally default to locate or find now so much that I was using it the other day I was reminded about how much it sucked. It's literally identical (aside from tags and labels) to what it was forever ago and is a terrible paradigm. I…

It probably depends on a personal workflow, but for me, Finder works perfectly, and I really miss it on Linux. I have a reasonably organized directory structure, and I navigate and do basic tasks like copying mostly using just a keyboard. I remember directory names and I just start typing their names and the Finder goes to them (actually, most file managers have this feature). Occasionally, I do 'ls | grep' or 'find' from the console to find some specific stuff (I have Spotlight disabled).

Re: We need to document macOS

#77
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Audio has "just worked" for years now, thanks to PulseAudio. Video was a mess for a while, but now it will generally work great out of the box if you've got Intel or AMD graphics. Nvidia is still a mess, but Nouveau will work fine for non-gaming stuff.

I've got Nvidia - probably the core of my problems then.

Yes, it is.

For example, there was an article recently, how Nvidia isn't going to support OpenGL acceleration in XWayland.

The keyholder to solve the problems with NV cards in Linux is Nvidia itself. They have all the info, all the sources, and whatever roadmap they planned.

Linux community can solve only Intel and AMD problems, and that's because Intel and AMD are cooperating. Nvidia isn't (Linus' middle finger says hello).

Meanwhile, it is up to you as an consumer, to vote with your wallet and use that to show the vendors your preferences.

Re: We need to document macOS

#79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Listen man, I do plenty of customization. What I'm bitching about here is what I consider to be a lack of innovation and a dereliction on obvious existing, key tools. Finder is a beautiful example of Apple not taking care of it's shit. I don't need a fucking hand hold. My 3 year old Macbook Air is in my opinion the BEST laptop available. I'm angry that the innovation appears to have ceased from the availible provider…

Your delusion that paying "availible [sic] providers" the large price tag they put on their electronics and 'doing plenty of customization' make them "your" tools is the reason I don't take you seriously; "your vernacular" is more an indicator than an issue in that regard. > The second they shape up, someone else delivers me an answer, or I write something to get me out of this platform, there I go. The first two are…

Can you elaborate on what technology choices I'm missing? Lets just say specifically the Finder issue. Is the solution to use Linux as my desktop environment? I mean this honestly, I'm not trying to be flip.

Can you give me some examples of the solutions that other people have moved to years ago that you are referencing? I am very open to the fact that I could have just totally missed the train to a better creative tooling experience.

I don't accept the financially sensible part of your argument. I know how that what a company makes is money, and is beholden to investors over all. In my opinion, innovation really stopped around the time the iPhone3 took hold. I personally don't give a shit about their bottom line, it's doing fine and they can totally continue to funnel us in a direction of more of the same. However, I do think leaving the creators they once prized and facilitated behind for a more narrow experience catered to a consumer experience of walled gardens and media subscriptions has currently left the market wide open for a new home for people like me who are begging them to do better.

3 years and no reasonable update to the tool I use to produce my craft and it's still the best thing. That's really saying something for what the company has built as a legacy. The gap is so huge now, and they appear to just keep gutting focus on tools for their once beloved artists and creatives. A new iMac looks pretty good! But it doesn't live up to where I think their platform leadership should be.

In my opinion they have left a desperate, loyal, audience out in the cold so long that it's offensive and I'm looking forward to whoever can fill the role next.

Re: We need to document macOS

#80

Better: We need to stop using undocumented proprietary systems like macOS.

And use what? Windows spies on you and they call it a feature. Linux is a great server OS but a really terrible choice on the desktop. I'm not convinced that free software documentation is any better, either. macOS is the best desktop OS going, for the moment.

> Linux is a great server OS but a really terrible choice on the desktop.

Why?

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