PSA: Don't update to macOS Big Sur

Elektron Software Overbridge
#41

I say this with love and frustration…

I’ve said it in other places… and will say it again because I constantly see people complain about OS upgrades really “messing it up for everyone”…

If you upgrade your machine because of your day-job, ignore what I’m about to rant about. Also, I have sympathy for you if you just bought a new machine that has the new OS loaded.

However, for the rest of us:

If you take making music with a computer remotely seriously, even for fun, plan on hanging out with an OS for 2-3 years.

I’ll say it - if you upgrade because you want the new hotness, don’t complain that “company X should have it together.” No… they shouldn’t anything (within reason). They list system requirements. Follow them. Believe them.

Thanks for coming to my TEDtalk™, sincerely, guy running MacOS 10.12.something for his studio computer.

3 Likes
#42

I make music for a living and I upgraded because I had to. My 2014 iMac was having some GPU overheating issues so I was forced to get a new machine, so I just received the latest Intel 27" iMac with Big Sur pre-installed. I’m not sure if your rant is pointing to me at all, but I’m not complaining. Everything isn’t black and white all of the time, sometimes you’re forced into something and need a band-aid while you wait.

1 Like
#43

Nope! I totally get your situation, and made the above caveat. I hope your band-aids are working out in the interim.

Also - I acknowledge that it’s in a company’s best interest to get their stuff working on the latest. That’s not what my rant it about. It’s pointed at those who mindlessly update despite decades of examples not to.

1 Like
#44

Right now I have to force my DN and AH2 to use USB Audio/MIDI. Then I take the class compliant USB audio and jam it through the Rogue Amoeba Loopback software, which pushes those outputs into a stereo channel of my Rednet IO, which then gets looped back and shows up as an input in my DAWs. It isn’t great but it works for now.

2 Likes
#45

Related to the above, I’d argue that if computers that meet the system requirements can no longer be bought new, then that’s on the software developer, not the consumer.

For better or worse the paradigm you point to (where an OS was a specific release supported for years etc) is increasingly outdated - the present and future of operating systems is rolling updates, which are increasingly automated. It’s less a case of itchy mouse fingers on people who want New and Shiny, and more just how things work now.

Perhaps that’s not ideal, but it’s definitely the reality of the market any software developer releases their product into.

1 Like
#46

I think this is the key conundrum. However, not what I’m speaking to, per my caveat.

New stuff working and being supported, I think, is different from a pre-upgraded functional system, which is what I’m targeting.

Yep! I totally agree with that. Ideally, the gap from release to compatibility will continue to shrink. (oh, and it has! It used to be much much worse) We’re constantly seeing streamlined APIs, and it will only improve. I think Mac users are going through one of the roughest transitions right now with an OS that’s supporting two different architectures. That has to be hell on 3rd party devs.

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#47

Just thought I’d throw this out there - it is possible to downgrade macOS.

Obviously the M1 Macs only work with Big Sur, and I don’t have first-hand proof that if you buy a brand new Intel Mac now it will work, but I see no reason why it won’t (I have done it in the past with older ones).

So if you are forced to buy a new (Intel) Mac now and desperately need OB to work, downgrade to Catalina before installing all your software.

2 Likes
#48

Almost 4 months since Big Sur was released and still nothing. What a joke.

2 Likes
#49

Someone please sum up here. Is overbridge not frigging working with Big Sur? I waited for so long. I guess this is what I get when I dont research the shit.

#50

It is in Beta testing at the moment

1 Like
#51

I’m with you (Had to upgrade to Big Sur for other reasons). Unfortunate, but understandable as it usually does not take 4 months for a company to catch up with MacOS updates. C’mon Elektron, this is not funny any more. Help us out here.

1 Like
#52

I waited for a long time as well. My Motu 828es audio interface also was out. Praise, they finally released new software, now just waiting for OB.

#53
2 Likes