Mojave: The last great mac OS

[retta283]

I had written in this thread shortly after its beginning, and it is clear that the aforementioned destruction of the workstation OS continues apace. The post 10.x macOS versions are on a fast track to strip user control and traditional desktop experiences, which is nothing new but it’s happening faster and faster.

Windows is in the same place, Windows 11 has little to do with its NT workstation roots. They can’t sell an OS designed for business (but still not a full server OS) anymore; it’s not marketable in today’s world. Windows is a superior OS as far as legacy compatibility is concerned, blows post-Mojave macOS out of the water.

It’s still possible to run Office for Windows 3.1 in Win11 with minimal tweaking, or late 90s versions of the same suite with no tweaking. Many of my utility apps developed by small devs or even a single person 20-25 years ago still work in modern Windows. It’s hit or miss, but much better overall.

macOS remains more consistent, but increasingly useless for old farts like me. My workplace is running machines from 20 years ago because modern solutions either are unavailable or too bloated for function. Myself I am using 32-bit macOS for my personal computers, because my collection of software is 95% 32-bit. Most people today will get by just fine, but the legacy of computer software solutions has been left in the dust.

 

[George Dawes]

I have to say after 'upgrading' to monterey on one imac and ventura on an m1 mini , i'm not massively impressed

The whole ui feels lazy and rushed, an example are the hard to see save dialogue boxes

 

[pshufd]

I'm on Monterey on my 2015 MacBook Pro and it's fine. Boots up a lot faster than Mojave did. I'm running on Ventura on my Studio and MacBook Pro 16 and it's stable with the latest release. I really wanted three features in Ventura: Clock, Weather, Virtualization. My systems typically stay up and running for 6-8 weeks and I usually reboot for updates.

 

[loby]

I had written in this thread shortly after its beginning, and it is clear that the aforementioned destruction of the workstation OS continues apace. The post 10.x macOS versions are on a fast track to strip user control and traditional desktop experiences, which is nothing new but it’s happening faster and faster.

Windows is in the same place, Windows 11 has little to do with its NT workstation roots. They can’t sell an OS designed for business (but still not a full server OS) anymore; it’s not marketable in today’s world. Windows is a superior OS as far as legacy compatibility is concerned, blows post-Mojave macOS out of the water.

It’s still possible to run Office for Windows 3.1 in Win11 with minimal tweaking, or late 90s versions of the same suite with no tweaking. Many of my utility apps developed by small devs or even a single person 20-25 years ago still work in modern Windows. It’s hit or miss, but much better overall.

macOS remains more consistent, but increasingly useless for old farts like me. My workplace is running machines from 20 years ago because modern solutions either are unavailable or too bloated for function. Myself I am using 32-bit macOS for my personal computers, because my collection of software is 95% 32-bit. Most people today will get by just fine, but the legacy of computer software solutions has been left in the dust.

Yes...there are some really good old software done by single Dev. over the years and it is too bad their forgotten software goes to the grave eventually. Some of them, if able to just give a modern UI face lift with a little update(s), would be valuable now-a-days, but it is the way it is.

I am full macOS now (and glad), but remember the years of Windows and the headaches of always having to configure and tweak constantly, including blue screen crashes etc. (Don't miss the lost hours spent).

Yes, as far as legacy compatibility is concern...Windows takes the cake. I am very surprised that Windows 11 still runs some of my old software, and sometimes runs better than when it first came out under the original old Windows OS's. But now after the years, I prefer not having to have to constantly tweak the system with the hours of sacrifice trade-off due to a more closed system.

But I understand the need/appreciate also for ability to customize and/or get into the OS to modify. Those days are almost gone, but again, it is how things go as the industry grows and matures, especially now with security (craziness) concerns etc.

 

[orionquest]

So I had to say good by to Mojave, updated to Monterey. And I already want to go back. I like some of the things they have fixed which were long standing issues in Mojave, like duplicate network mounts, window columns forgetting widths etc. and the security issues with email.

But now I am facing other issues, and the changes to the UI are not always beneficial. Sometimes it feels like senior OS with all the extra space around UI elements, folders spacing, and everything is so flat nothing stands out where is should. And lots of glitches with multiple monitors with things not staying in place. Ugh.

 

[orionquest]

I have to say after 'upgrading' to monterey on one imac and ventura on an m1 mini , i'm not massively impressed

The whole ui feels lazy and rushed, an example are the hard to see save dialogue boxes

The UI is ******* to put it bluntly. The stuff they have modified makes absolute no sense.

Why are dialogues more vertical then wide? Are people using monitors this way?
Open/Save dialogues you can expand them but the name of the directory doesn't expand it's clipped.
Folder titles - now inline with toolbar so longer folder names get clipped.
- I'm on a 30" monitor and I should not need to expand my windows to see this stuff when there is plenty of space for it.

This is just what I have noticed after only briefly updating to Monterey.

 

[coffeemilktea]

Let's be real, Mac OS X peaked with Tiger (10.4) and has been going downhill since they got rid of that "brushed metal" texture on Finder.

 

[harriska2]

Still have 5 macs running Mojave! (mac mini 2018, iMac 2019 6 core, iMac 2019 8-core, Macbook pro 2015, and macbook pro 2012).

The one Mac I have not running Mojave is my 2021 14" macbook pro - running Monterey. I think this will be the norm: I'll always have one more recent mac running the latest (or close to it) OS and then the stable of Macs on my beloved Mojaave

Have Ventura now running on my 2018 mini. Runs well.

 

[eicca]

Everything post-Mojave feels to me like it's designed to please shareholders instead of create functionality for the user.

Like how notifications now have a dropdown that gives you two options... or another button that gives you the same two options. Where in Mojave, you just have those two options right on the notification. Wut? Who designed that?

macOS is going "trendy" and "gimmicky." My Classic Mac Pro is still going strong, but I'm steeling myself for the inevitable switch to Linux someday.

 

[loby]

Everything post-Mojave feels to me like it's designed to please shareholders instead of create functionality for the user.

Like how notifications now have a dropdown that gives you two options... or another button that gives you the same two options. Where in Mojave, you just have those two options right on the notification. Wut? Who designed that?

macOS is going "trendy" and "gimmicky." My Classic Mac Pro is still going strong, but I'm steeling myself for the inevitable switch to Linux someday.

“”New” sales (customers) are based mostly on new users (generation). New younger generation users buy, buy, buy. Older generation keep their products longer and don’t buy as frequent. Target market for most $ (Tim-philosophy) mostly is younger generation who spend and don’t think about retirement or future. It is how the game is played..most profit, more focus.

That is the target user and why we see all of the non-practical or logical changes, additions and choices now put into the OS and sometimes hardware design. If it is “old” (but works)…does not matter, everything has to feel “New” and fresh or “young” - give it a new paint job no sales. Change just for the sake of change. Whomever will spend gets the focus. This is the Apple way…always have..always will be..

 

[gloveman3]

Still have 5 macs running Mojave! (mac mini 2018, iMac 2019 6 core, iMac 2019 8-core, Macbook pro 2015, and macbook pro 2012).

The one Mac I have not running Mojave is my 2021 14" macbook pro - running Monterey. I think this will be the norm: I'll always have one more recent mac running the latest (or close to it) OS and then the stable of Macs on my beloved Mojaave

Any concern there have been no updates for over a year and 5 months ago? Security issues?

 

[StellarVixen]

Let's be real, Mac OS X peaked with Tiger (10.4) and has been going downhill since they got rid of that "brushed metal" texture on Finder.

I find that brushed metal texture... unnecessary. Stands out too much. Pinstripes at least weren't that intrusive. I like everything else about Tiger.

Wrote about it on my profile, will repeat myself again: Spotlight, introduced in Tiger, still a feature almost everyone using Mac cannot live without.

Launchpad, introduced in Lion: almost no one cares about it.

iOS-ification of the Mac has brought little to no value to the platform.

 

[Nicole1980]

Any concern there have been no updates for over a year and 5 months ago? Security issues?

No security issue. I have had macs for 30 years and only once had a virus back in the 90's. I honestly think the constant talk of 'seciurity issues' is gaslighting to get us to upgrade.
And frankly, if i do have an issue, i'd just run a malware/soyware program and eradicate it that way

 

[gloveman3]

No security issue. I have had macs for 30 years and only once had a virus back in the 90's. I honestly think the constant talk of 'seciurity issues' is gaslighting to get us to upgrade.
And frankly, if i do have an issue, i'd just run a malware/soyware program and eradicate it that way

Do you have a suggested malware/software program?

 

[saudor]

No security issue. I have had macs for 30 years and only once had a virus back in the 90's. I honestly think the constant talk of 'seciurity issues' is gaslighting to get us to upgrade.
And frankly, if i do have an issue, i'd just run a malware/soyware program and eradicate it that way

With some exceptions like Wannacry, it's a bit overblown. The average joe simply isn't important enough to use elaborate exploits on. Just a little common sense and using updated browsers goes a long way. It's not like the days of Windows 98 where it was pretty easy to get compromised.

 

[gloveman3]

With some exceptions like Wannacry, it's a bit overblown. The average joe simply isn't important enough to use elaborate exploits on. Just a little common sense and using updated browsers goes a long way. It's not like the days of Windows 98 where it was pretty easy to get compromised.

Thanks. I meant, what is a good program to eradicate any potential malware or virus?

 

[christiann]

Went from Ventura to Mojave… being able to use old apps is something I will never take for granted

 

[orionquest]

No security issue. I have had macs for 30 years and only once had a virus back in the 90's. I honestly think the constant talk of 'seciurity issues' is gaslighting to get us to upgrade.
And frankly, if i do have an issue, i'd just run a malware/soyware program and eradicate it that way

Virius's are hardly threats these days it's more about gaining access to your machine and more importantly your data. A smart user will not be a huge risk if they ignore alot of the social engineering attempts, but other security issues and exploits can become problems with older OS's. I've seen my spam emails drop significantly since moving from Mojave to Monterey. Spam itself isn't a problem, but there is a feedback loop in the network for emails that spammers can use, which is now blocked in newer OS's. 30 years ago these kinds of issues were not problems. Progress eh!

 

[NoSloppy]

I'll jump in here as I'm pretty well known for ranting every time I put my hands on a new Mac.
I have a 2014 MacBook pro and a Mac mini I forget what year but both running mojave.
The only third party thing I need for it is TotalFinder. That gives me colored icons in my sidebar and automatic adjustment of column widths to fit the longest filename.
How are you supposed to know at a glance which folder you need when three in a row are all exactly the same rainy day gray color and named similarly like Desktop Downloads and Dropbox?
If I need Downloads, I'm going for the green folder, I don't sit there and read through each name!

That said, every single time I get to a new Mac I need to use for work on a job, I immediately need to go in and change :
- Darkmode always.
- trackpad: IMMEDIATELY deselect "natural" scrolling direction. I have no idea how it's natural to scroll invertedly when we've been doing it for 40 years the other way. You are grabbing the scroll bar and moving it, not touching the page.
No gestures. No force haptic feedback.
- icon size 48x48.
- SHOW hard drive and connected servers on desktop.
- desktop icons set to snap to grid
- general settings: ALWAYS show scroll bars. Jump to the spot that's clicked. In what world do scroll bars take up so much real estate that you need to hide them?? How are you supposed to know at a glance how long the thing you're scrolling is?
- mission control: hot corners-bottom right show desktop. Top left screen saver/sleep.
- Finder windows:
- -Task bar: Icon + TEXT! EVERY APP OR DEVICE OS HAS DIFFERENT LOOKING ICONS AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE SQUARE WITH THE MISSING CORNER AND A SQUIGGLY LINE THROUGH IT MEANS. IF THAT S*** MEANS MARKUP JUST LET IT SAY MARKUP. Oops caps lock, sorry. But I'm leaving it lol.
- - View options:
SHOW sidebar. SHOW path. SHOW preview. SHOW status bar. Why in the world are we hiding these things by default? Are we really taking up too much room with the words in the status bar on the bottom? How else will I know at a glance what path on or what amount of storage I have remaining?
- Dock. NO hiding. NO MAGNIFICATION. size it small and leave it there always. Drop applications, utilities and downloads to the right of the bar so they're also there all the time, set to sort by name, display as stack, view content as list (grid is okay for utilities)

All of that is off the top of my head. There's probably more but the next thing that would matter is QuickTime 7. Show me an app that I can extract audio to a file, process it externally, and then add it back in all in about 30 seconds.
Show me an app you can quickly set in/out points and edit to taste as quickly as QuickTime 7. There are countless other uses that are just unparalleled in anything new.
Don't even get me started with the layout of system preferences in newer OS versions. It's not an iphone!
iOS is so freaking annoying with its stupid lacking ability to organize icons or space them out to your liking God forbid. The only saving grace that new features I like is Airdrop and it's not even new.
I got to get off this train in this post is probably unnecessarily already too long.

 

[MYZ]

Has anyone noticed that the colours are more saturated somehow on Monterey compared to Mojave?

I don't have 2 macs with the same screen to compare exactly but I get the impression.

 

[avz]

Considering that Apple Mail is not working with OAuth2 in Sierra and High Sierra, Mojave is really becoming an obsolescence frontier. I moved all my Macs from Late 2008 to 2012 to Mojave. Also Mojave seems to be the last macOS to run quite well on HFS+ without too much effort as I am still using original HDDs with installed Mojave as a backups.

 

[rin67630]

Did anyone mention, that Mojave is the last macOS to run speech recognition off-line?

 

[Racineur]

I know some will flame me as a luddite for saying this, but to me, Mojave is the end of a wonderful era of mac system software.

32-bit support, gone.
Soon Windows support, gone.

Now with Big Sur making the big play to become iOS part deux, it feels like the end of the line. A wonderful line of macs and os's that I grew up with and know and love.

So, for me, Mojave represents the last stake in the ground, that last, great representation of what macs have become to me.

I will buy Mojave compatible macs from the refurb store going forward, but after that, its a bleak, sad desert. Either windows ... or 'silicon' macs I have no interest in.

Oh well, woe is me.

I tend to think the same but I wouldn't dish an iMac 24 with Big Sur "for sure". My old 2012 faithful iMac 27 i5 with Mojave still rocks but hey...times fly and one likes new this and that. Same as for my car, I drive a 2012 with no problems whatsoever. Perfect car for me but I tried a 2023. Ahhh the smell of new car! I have the same dilemma: my computer and car needs are so humble that it becomes hard to make a jump. Would you buy a Mercedes for a two times a week short trip to Walmart? Would I buy a new 24 iMac for some emailing and Safari?

 

[Racineur]

Not to cast shade on your system, but any data point using a computer that came out a decade before the OS in question is generally not a great data point.

Get that but what is "slower" and "faster" ? A big debate for me. Is booting 2 seconds faster such a big thing? Is opening an app 1.4 second faster a big achievement. I see these numbers everywhere. Car reviewers: 0-60 in 8.6 seconds compared to other car 8.9 = a huge advantage. iPhone 2024: will transfer 2 million files in 1.2345 minute. iPhone 2025: will transfer 2 million files in 1,99935642 minute. Then it's called huge ginormous gain. C'mon. How many drivers will spend their whole time driving their car flooring ? ow many iPhone users will transfer 2 million files? What is 0,5 second is important? Of couse I'm exaggerating but you see the point.

 

[macsound1]

I tend to think the same but I wouldn't dish an iMac 24 with Big Sur "for sure". My old 2012 faithful iMac 27 i5 with Mojave still rocks but hey...times fly and one likes new this and that. Same as for my car, I drive a 2012 with no problems whatsoever. Perfect car for me but I tried a 2023. Ahhh the smell of new car! I have the same dilemma: my computer and car needs are so humble that it becomes hard to make a jump. Would you buy a Mercedes for a two times a week short trip to Walmart? Would I buy a new 24 iMac for some emailing and Safari?

I’m confused at what you’re saying here.
People usually buy new because 1. They need the power/ features or 2. They want something to have a long potential life span.
If your iMac feels like it’s having troubles, just like an older car, it’s better to replace while it’s still working than to wait until the wheels fall off.