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Topic: Operating Systems

OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion: Hands-on walkthrough

Summary: Apple unveiled OS X 10.8 "Mountain Lion" at WWDC in June. Set for a final release in fall, here's what you can expect to see in the next-generation operating system.

ZDNet Editor

By ZDNet Editor |

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Gatekeeper is a new feature to "Mountain Lion" allowing only Mac App Store and/or identified developers' access to your Mac. If the developer is not registered with Apple, or the application was not downloaded from the Mac App Store, it won't run unless you change the settings.

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Topic: Operating Systems

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29 comments
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  • Lame........

    I will be sticking with OS 10.6. I still have legacy apps - when they killed Rosetta, they lost me as an upgrader (it also didn't help that they killed Expose and Spaces, either). The more they try to make these desktop operating systems like the mobile ones, the more they turn off power users. I realize that most of their customers now are mobile, but a desktop OS does not need these lame mobile features (not to mention that some of these features are best left to touch screen devices, as the Apple Trackpad is a clunky piece of garbage - just like the Magic Mouse - good in theory, poor in execution, and severely overpriced).

    I find it sad that Apple keeps on trying to take more control away from the users - seems like they are hell bent on telling their customers what to do. I really like my Mac Pro and my Macbook Pro, but I will not be joining the masses with these latest changes. No thank you, Apple.
    WakkoWarner
    Reply 1 Vote

    • Feel free to specify which UI elements

      in Mountain Lion are "iOS-ified" The iOS apps migrated over have been designed for desktop, not touch use. Notifications is simply a system-level implementation of Growl. I don't see any UI elements in Mountain Lion that are iOS-ified.
      baggins_z
      Reply Vote

    • Disagree on the touchpad

      I have my reservations towards the Magic Mouse, but the Apple trackpad is absolutely the best around. No other trackpad comes close!

      Haven't used the desktop version, but can't imagine any notebook without it. Can't force myself of use mouse with the Macbook.
      danbi
      Reply 1 Vote

    • 10.7 is OK

      I finally upgraded from 10.6 a few weeks ago and it turns out to be fine, not lame (but I very intentionally do not run legacy apps). 10.8 looks better still.

      My one caveat would be that folks with legacy hardware usually should stick with legacy apps/OS. Each new app version and OS version logically will be be optimized for the capabilities of more modern hardware.

      Of course in an area like images work the field itself is increasing its demands at a rapid rate (increasing volume of increasing file sizes, ever-more-complex image-modifications, more/higher rez video, more 3D, etc.). Bottom line for anyone dealing with images is plan on regularly upgrading hardware, OS and apps.
      Allen_Wentz
      Reply Vote

    • Don't like it don't use it.

      Be it the OS, the trackpad/magic mouse, the "lame" mobile features or all of the above, then by all means feel free not to use them. Pretty sure Apple and the millions of users that like these will not miss you. As far as sticking with legacy apps, why stick with something that the developer either doesn't care enough to keep up to date or is no longer in business. I know there could be business critical apps that don't have alternatives but that's probably the case with a tiny percentage of user, are you one of them honestly?
      non-biased
      Reply 1 Vote

    • Not entirely true

      Spaces and Expose have been moved into mission control. You can still have multiple windows and sort your apps running any way you like. Rosetta was a bit hit for a lot of people who had older apps. There are many things I like about lion but my two biggest complaints would be the lack of a "Save as" in many apps(versions now). And also two monitor support is weird. Apple really does also need to address multiple monitor support. Apps changing the menu bar at the top simple doesn't cut it with a couple of big 27" monitors.
      Johnpford
      Reply Vote

    • Different name, same thing

      The did not kill Expose and spaces, they call it differently. The Trackpad and mouse are fine too. It seems to me that you simply don't know what you are doing.
      rhon@...
      Reply Vote

    • Not a rhetorical question

      What will you do when your current hardware dies, or becomes "obsolete" (recognizing that is a very subjective term in most cases)?

      At home we have an aging iMac G5 (won't run an increasing share of what's available), and a Macbook with a case that is starting to crack. A Macbook Air is likely in our future in the next 6 months, which means Mountain Lion from the get-go. It's either that or abandon OS X. Windows 8 is even less attractive to me. A Chromebook gets most of my use, and Chrome OS is improving rapidly, but its cloud-based focus will always limit what can be done.

      As social media becomes more pervasive, I find that I am becoming more antisocial. I destroyed my Facebook account last month, the entire concept of Twitter offends me deeply, and I generally disable sharing options in any new software that I start using. Still, the added security features of Mountain Lion seem long overdue.
      S_Deemer
      Reply Vote

  • The sure OS X 10.8 is mearly a minor update to lion, but its very good.

    First off Snow lepoard is a good mac OS but it lacks the gesture features of Lion. Fo exampe when I have a Windows 7 vm to run my old Windows apps, I can use 4 finger to swipe back and forth form a fullscreen mac app back to my windows app with out the need to reboot my computer and startup windows as with boot camp. If I add a linux VM I could easily swap between all three in a snap. iPhotos works better with touch gestures as now I can use pinch gestures to zoom pan or rotate pictures, noo need to fumble around with hidden controls that were two to three menus deep or fuddling with un intuitive controls with photo editors on PC. I can clear my mac screen an get back to the desktop and run a terminal window to run bash commands with just a 5 finger open gesture. The new Launch Pad opens with a similar 5 finger close gesture and all my apps including games can be launched in secconds. In windows you would need to go start all programs, game folder, then exe launch. far more involving.

    For the smart person Mac OS lion and Mountain Lion are greatly desired improvements. Unfortunately not everyone is as cunning.
    Bakabaka
    Reply Vote

    • I might be wrong but gestures are available on Snow Leopard

      Bakabaka, I may not be as cunning as you but I am running osx 10.6.8 on a one year old MB Pro. I have gestures. Much of that is hardware dependent.
      kaye@...
      Reply Vote

  • Really?

    @Bakabaka "For the smart person Mac OS lion and Mountain Lion are greatly desired improvements. Unfortunately not everyone is as cunning." this is how you tout a new system? Telling the rest of us we're stupid if we don't want it? You are a grade A Tool.
    spin498
    Reply 1 Vote

    • Who's A Tool?

      Well, why not tell the rest of us we're stupid. Plenty of people have been willing to tell me I'm stupid for hating Windows 8 with Metro and Ribbons. :)

      Someone here said if you don't like it don't use it. Wiser words were never spoken.
      JoeFoerster
      Reply Vote

  • OSX stopped getting better with snow leopard, now it keeps getting worse.

    Wow, all those features and not one is something I want or need. Connecting to social networks. Worst of all, Apple wants to own all my data: buy an app, Apple wants to know. Dictate: apple wants to listen. Etc.

    Worst new OS feature set ever.
    I'm still on 10.6.x because Lion's features were the second worst feature set ever, including disabling Rosetta.

    Apple is pushing me away from their platforms. They are also becoming more Big Brother like with every release.
    kaye@...
    Reply Vote

    • Your only bet

      Is DIY. On the good side, there is plenty of open source platforms available and you can assemble an OS any way you like.
      danbi
      Reply Vote

    • Legacy

      Folks with legacy apps or legacy hardware should stay on a legacy OS. Easy enough on a Mac. I expect 10.6.8 to be a long-lived OS like XP was, not because newer OS versions are poor (quite the contrary) but rather because 10.6.8 is rock-solid and supports legacy apps and hardware.
      Allen_Wentz
      Reply Vote

    • Just a heads up...

      ...your tinfoil hat isn't straight, might want to fix that.
      non-biased
      Reply Vote

  • heh

    "It also comes with a warning that any data will be uplaoded to Apple."

    Heh, ouch?

    Windows does it without uploading data.
    CobraA1
    Reply 1 Vote

    • You meant..

      Windows is uploading data without warning you. :)
      danbi
      Reply Vote

  • heh

    "Gatekeeper is a new feature to 'Mountain Lion' allowing only Mac App Store and/or identified developers' access to your Mac."

    Looks like Windows 8 now has company when it comes to turning into a walled garden.

    I've been a bit silent on this whole "walled garden" issue, but I'm actually starting to worry a bit about it. I'm worried that small time developers may end up getting the boot.
    CobraA1
    Reply Vote

    • The egg and the chicken

      Wasn't it Apple who were building walled gardens for years? Pushing people to use their Store only etc.

      Now it turns out, it was Microsoft who invented it. :)

      No worry for the small developers. Just register with Apple and get an developer ID.
      danbi
      Reply Vote
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