Apple-Compatibility

OK, I have neither the authority or experience to speak about compatibility on the topic, "All things Mac... Or, Apple".

However, Apple's latest release of their operating system seems to be getting some good press. Apple "pipped Microsoft to the post" with a 2-month lead on their operating system update that could have been a PR disaster or a major coup.

With the Windows 7 release just a few months away, pervasive and serious application compatibility issues with Apple's latest release (Snow Leopard) could deliver Microsoft a real "launching point" for Windows 7. (no pun intended)

Well, so far Snow Leopard, (which is a major upgrade) has had pretty good reviews for application compatibility. CNET's Rafe commented that some applications had compatibility issues ( look here: http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-10319839-264.html). But, given the nature of changes to the operating system, I think that news on application compatibility for this platform has been quite good.

Just like Microsoft did, Apple has posted an update on what applications have been listed as non-compatible with Snow Leopard here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3258.

Note: that there are far fewer applications on the Apple list than on the 1600 item strong non-compatible list for Microsoft. You could argue that more applications are available in the Microsoft eco-system that in the MAC world - and therefore this list larger Microsoft list is merely a proportionate representation of applications that will have trouble running or loading under Windows 7 and Vista.

On the "bad news side of things", Stephen Wildstrom posted the following complaints against the Snow Leopard update process; (http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2009/09/snow_leopard_ho.html)

• Apple should have provided a pre-upgrade compatibility checker like the one Microsoft offers for Win 7. This would have allowed people to find out what wouldn’t work and then make a choice whether they wanted to upgrade or wait.
• Apple needed a public beta with a release candidate to detect the sort of problems that are turning up now but apparently did not show up in the tightly controlled betas.
• Apple did not give third-party software and hardware vendors enough time with the final code before general availability. Microsoft released Windows 7 to manufacturing at the end of July with general availability on Oct. 22. Apple sent out final code about week before Snow Leopard went on sale.
  

And, Apple does not have the Application Compatibility tool-kit (ACT), which would have solved all of their compatibility issues, now and forever, for everyone, for free, for what ever... (sorry, to be a little mean here.)