"These Go To Eleven." MacOS Big Sur (1 Viewer)

[Rodney]

Apple announced a few days ago that Big Sur Public Beta is available for download. Thought I would start a new thread about this MacOS and see if anyone has installed it and have any initial thoughts about it.
I'm really hoping for a better, stable MacOS than Catalina has been. I was one of those initially hoping for an Avalon release (bug and stablization fixes) than a brand new release, but with ARM Macs coming out, it seems leaving X (ten) and finally changing the 2nd digit versioning number makes sense.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Rodney,

Generally, I am the first to download the beta and use it. I am currently running betas of iOS 14, iPad OS 14, and Watch OS 7. Despite the warnings that these betas may cause an issue, they are actually running very smoothly.

What I will not mess around with is a beta of Big Sur. I have downloaded and used OS X betas several times before and I always regret the install. The OS X betas usually are very unstable and there are tons of software compatibility issues mainly due to the fact that manufacturers are still in the process of bringing their programs up to spec.

If you are really itching to try the beta, I can give you a superb resource to look at. Over at Mac Rumors, the members there have maintained a list of working and non-working apps under Big Sur. Check this before doing the install. If your most-used software is on the "working" list you can go ahead and give it a try.

Big Sur - Working / Not Working Apps

Please click EDIT below to add your working or NOT working app. Please try to add it alphabetically. Feel free to also comment in a reply any additional details you would like to share. Working 1Blocker 1Password 3D Slicer 4K Video Downloader 4th Dimension (4D) 18.4 (LTS) and 18r5 A Better...

forums.macrumors.com

I would still be cautious about installing it on your main drive. And you know what? We are really only about 6 weeks away from the final release if mid-September is still the final launch. You might just want to sit it out.

The good news is, from what I have read, Big Sur is getting a lot of raves from early adopters who feel it improves upon Mojave and Catalina which I always felt were half-baked.

 

[Rodney]

Yeah, I am not one to put a beta release on my day-to-day computer. You have posted in the past about running beta software, so it says a lot when YOU are unwilling to try it out!

I agree with you about the half-baked feeling, and I am just so disappointed in Catalina. I only have it running on a single machine. I'm a long-time Mac User, and before that an Apple ][ user, but these past two releases and the arguable direction of Apple iOS-ifying the MacOS has me seriously considering trying out other operating systems. I use Windows 10 for work, and a friend has been pushing a few Linux distros.

All in all I still like the Mac, but they are making it easier for me to consider other options.

 

[Sam Posten]

I personally have no use for desktop betas. I need my iMac and MBP to be stable as bedrock. So, no input from me but have fun and keep us posted!

 

[Clinton McClure]

My MacBook Pro is officially too old to run Big Sur so I will be living vicariously through everyone who installs it. Not that I’m having problems with Catalina - it’s running fine for me with nary a hiccup. I just like cool new software.

 

[DaveF]

Really hope the backup bugs get fixed by Big Sur general release. I can’t upgrade without SuperDuper.

Shirt Pocket Watch

www.shirtpocket.com

At present, it's not possible to make bootable copies of Big Sur, even with asr, Apple's own built-in replication utility. As such, we haven't released a Beta, or even an internal Alpha, because it wouldn't meet our own requirements.

There are problems with TimeMachine reported too, but I’m unclear on the details.

Michael Tsai - Blog - Awaiting SuperDuper for Big Sur

mjtsai.com

Good luck to those running the beta. Core problems with data safety keeps me far away.

 

[Johnny Angell]

Rodney,

Generally, I am the first to download the beta and use it. I am currently running betas of iOS 14, iPad OS 14, and Watch OS 7. Despite the warnings that these betas may cause an issue, they are actually running very smoothly.

What I will not mess around with is a beta of Big Sur. I have downloaded and used OS X betas several times before and I always regret the install. The OS X betas usually are very unstable and there are tons of software compatibility issues mainly due to the fact that manufacturers are still in the process of bringing their programs up to spec.

If you are really itching to try the beta, I can give you a superb resource to look at. Over at Mac Rumors, the members there have maintained a list of working and non-working apps under Big Sur. Check this before doing the install. If your most-used software is on the "working" list you can go ahead and give it a try.

Big Sur - Working / Not Working Apps

Please click EDIT below to add your working or NOT working app. Please try to add it alphabetically. Feel free to also comment in a reply any additional details you would like to share. Working 1Blocker 1Password 3D Slicer 4K Video Downloader 4th Dimension (4D) 18.4 (LTS) and 18r5 A Better...

forums.macrumors.com

I would still be cautious about installing it on your main drive. And you know what? We are really only about 6 weeks away from the final release if mid-September is still the final launch. You might just want to sit it out.

The good news is, from what I have read, Big Sur is getting a lot of raves from early adopters who feel it improves upon Mojave and Catalina which I always felt were half-baked.

Ron is there a list somewhere of apps that work with the final version of Catalina? I have not updated to it, because I had heard Photoshop CS6 doesn’t work on Catalina. I’m never going to participate in the subscription version and I’d like to keep CS6 running. Sorry for the digression.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

It will not work. That is a 32-bit app and as of Catalina, you can only run 64-bit apps

 

[Johnny Angell]

It will not work. That is a 32-bit app and as of Catalina, you can only run 64-bit apps

So I will not upgrade to Catalina.

 

[Sam Posten]

That sounds like a nightmare plan to me.

 

[Thomas Newton]

It will not work. That is a 32-bit app and as of Catalina, you can only run 64-bit apps

I believe that the main part of Photoshop CS6 consists of 64-bit code. It is the installers and DRM components that contain 32-bit code.

So if you install Catalina over an old OS, an existing copy of Photoshop CS6 might run. Adobe won't support it in any way, shape, or form, but it might run. Still, you'll be living on borrowed time. If you ever do a clean install of Catalina, and need to install CS6 from scratch, you'll find that the installers and/or the DRM "activation" code won't run. You'll then be well and truly hosed. Unless, of course, you want to sign up for the "subscription" (rental) plan …

 

[Johnny Angell]

I believe that the main part of Photoshop CS6 consists of 64-bit code. It is the installers and DRM components that contain 32-bit code.

So if you install Catalina over an old OS, an existing copy of Photoshop CS6 might run. Adobe won't support it in any way, shape, or form, but it might run. Still, you'll be living on borrowed time. If you ever do a clean install of Catalina, and need to install CS6 from scratch, you'll find that the installers and/or the DRM "activation" code won't run. You'll then be well and truly hosed. Unless, of course, you want to sign up for the "subscription" (rental) plan …

The point is moot, since I won’t upgrade until I convert to another program, perhaps Affinity. I’ve heard good things about it.