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If Apple keeps letting its software slip, the next big thing won’t matter

macworld.com

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Re: If Apple keeps letting its software slip, the next big thing won’t matter

#351

Post by BizarroLand »

superasn wrote: post #59
freediver wrote: post #18

Yesterday I prepared a few years old Windows laptop for my daughter to use in school. It took me a few hours just to install updates, remove bloatware (my oh my, the amount is staggering!) and fix privacy settings. And this was for Windows 10 which I hear is a mild version of a mess that Windows 11 is. I was instantly reminded why I appreciate Apple software more.

1. Yes first thing I run if I ever have to use a Windows PC is this little gem called Shutup 10 (1). 2. Then there is another software called 10AppsManager (2) to remove further bloatware like Onedrive, Skype, etc. 3. After that I visit ninite.com (3) to get the usual software without toolbars and spyware. 4. For other software like ffmpeg I use choco or chocolatey (4). I am now a full time linux user but this was th…

Just a quick shoutout to Ruckzuck (https://ruckzuck.tools/)

I like it far more than Ninite and it is a good way to find some open source software that you may not have heard about or used before, quickly install the programs, and keep them up to date with only a few clicks.

Re: If Apple keeps letting its software slip, the next big thing won’t matter

#352

Post by jobe_br »

handrous wrote: post #76
SamuelAdams wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey so I’ll be getting my first MacBook Pro in a couple weeks, so I’m still learning the details about OS X. I’m coming from a windows / Linux background. I thought the OS shipped with its own firewall? Would you recommend using a third party firewall despite having its own?

Windows and Linux user for 25 years [EDIT Windows for 25, Linux for 20, to be more precise], heavy macOS user (in addition to those) for the last 10 or so. If it has a firewall of any kind, I've never noticed nor interacted with it. I've also never installed a third party firewall.

Firewalls can do two things, mainly. Block inbound connections, block outbound connections. The macOS firewall is mainly intended for the former. Many folks want to prevent the latter (e.g. blocking phone home connections).

Re: If Apple keeps letting its software slip, the next big thing won’t matter

#353

Post by judge2020 »

wtallis wrote: post #241
loudthing wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree that Apple's hot headedness in the past has helped the industry in the long run. For example, eliminating the floppy drive with the original iMac, or pushing for open alternatives to Flash by not allowing it on iPhones. It is concerning that they included a full size sd card reader (22 year old technology at this point).

The SD form factor is over two decades old, but the technology inside the cards and readers has advanced significantly, so you're effectively complaining that nobody has broken backwards compatibility by switching form factors.

It taking up space instead of being perhaps a USB type-A is a bummer. USB-C docks that take the SD form factor still exist, of course.

Re: If Apple keeps letting its software slip, the next big thing won’t matter

#355

Post by Apofis »

jjice wrote: post #274
makecheck wrote: post #204

While this article focused primarily on things being left unmaintained, etc. there is also a huge problem with things being touched for no reason and making them worse . When handed what must be a mountain of bugs and unfinished items, why the hell did they prioritize things like breaking notifications and Safari tabs, for instance? They’re in a position where engineering resources desperately need to be closing gaps…

This is something so many big companies do, and I hate it. Every 6 months it seems Spotify has to change their UI and make it harder to find what I want. Just make a decent UI and stick to it. I don't understand why there are redesigns over and over and over. My assumption is that it keeps people employed, even if they aren't necessarily needed. It at least takes away from more important issues being taken care of.

They're running A/B tests... You like variant A, the majority picked variant B. Otherwise, someone new was hired and needed a project.

Re: If Apple keeps letting its software slip, the next big thing won’t matter

#356

Post by mft_ »

tomtheelder wrote: post #302
philg_jr wrote: post #259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a new iOS user, this is the #1 thing that makes me want to sell my 12 Mini and go back to vanilla Android. Notifications are a total mess in iOS.

Unquestionably it's the biggest gap. Having also switched recently, notifications on iOS feel like stepping literally 10 years into the past.

I think it’s worse than that. IIRC I had the second model of Android phone ever released in the UK, and even that phone’s notification system was superior to iOS of 2021.

I’ve always assumed patents are to blame - I mean, surely no one at Apple uses their iOS notifications and thinks “yes, that system is perfect in every way”? There must be other factors at work?

Re: If Apple keeps letting its software slip, the next big thing won’t matter

#357

Post by acdha »

WalterBright wrote: post #328
makecheck wrote: post #204

While this article focused primarily on things being left unmaintained, etc. there is also a huge problem with things being touched for no reason and making them worse . When handed what must be a mountain of bugs and unfinished items, why the hell did they prioritize things like breaking notifications and Safari tabs, for instance? They’re in a position where engineering resources desperately need to be closing gaps…

I don't use my iphone for email because I get 200-300 emails per day, and there's no way to mass delete the inbox. I have to select-delete for every email.

You can drag down with two fingers held apart to select the messages. I use that fairly often, especially with search results. It's still not as fast as having a select-all button but does give you a chance to notice that not all of the messages are the same.

Re: If Apple keeps letting its software slip, the next big thing won’t matter

#358

Post by BizarroLand »

criddell wrote: post #115
underscore_ku wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why do you people bother with windows? just use linux

Most people pick the operating system that best runs the software they need.

Not only that but a huge portion of people will simply not swap away from the OS they know under any circumstances.

Windows 12 could require all users to get punched in the face to log in and most people would say, "Yeah, it sucks but it's better than spending $1,800 on a Mac. Plus my video games..."

Re: If Apple keeps letting its software slip, the next big thing won’t matter

#359

Post by josephg »

ziml77 wrote: post #330
josephg wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately it doesn’t really matter who’s fault it is from the perspective of the user. All the windows computers at the computer shop ship with bloated 3rd party crap. Except the apple computers. It’s also not Google’s fault that most android vendors don’t support old devices for long. Or Linux’s fault that hardware vendors make linux drivers an afterthought. As a consumer, I don’t care why any of this happens. I…

Who decides what's bloat? macOS ships with Apple News, Podcasts, the App Store, Books, Garageband, Stocks, iMovie, Keynote, etc. A lot of their stuff is even pinned to the taskbar by default. Should be consider that bloat? I don't need any of those programs (or prefer alternatives), so it seems like it's bloat for me.

I’m not sure. The bloat meter in my mind certainly goes up when these programs start phoning home to update stocks or whatever. (Despite me never even opening that program).

I should definitely have the option to turn this crap off if I want to - without needing a 3rd party program like little snitch to do so.

Re: If Apple keeps letting its software slip, the next big thing won’t matter

#360

Post by [deleted] »

dvirsky wrote: post #16
jamil7 wrote: post #3

Apple's software quality has certainly slipped. I'm not sure if I'm just getting old but I find software quality in general seems to have slipped. Or is it just because there's more software around?

I think that it has to do mainly with two things: 1. The overall complexity of what's possible is growing, so software is just becoming much more complex. The other is the fact that server based software has an almost zero time deployment cycle, and even native code for desktop/mobile can be shipped really quickly. This makes software mostly an iterative process. If fixing bugs on a weekly basis in a major mobile app…

[deleted]
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