Big Sur

[Mark]

I am looking forward to reading what early adaptors make of it.

we can all understand hesitancy after Catalina...
i downloaded Big Sur today and i don't have any problems (but have only tested all apps for only a few hours).
i didn't clock the entire download but it took about 30 min to download then about 20 minutes to install.
its solid on my machine (MacBook Air 2019; 16GB memory 1.6 Dual i5).
its a release that reveals small differences from Catalina very gradually. but i like the visual appearance very much. (there are mega-long threads on other boards that debate this).
its crisp and sharp and more visually unified than Catalina.
all apps open very responsively with no lag.* Safari is (as is proverbially described) snappy.
none of my apps needed re-arranging - it left my format/appearance changes in tact across all apps.
its the first time (since around Snow Leopard) that apple Mail has been solid on an initial release.
it appears to me the big changes are under the hood including making it less different from iOS devices as apple integrates its hardware-software even more using ASi.
lastly, the startup chime is back ! a little bit different from the former chime. a slightly deeper but softer sound. i like it. setting is available to turn it off if not wanted.
*nb: Rhino 3D has some issues on this initial Big Sur release i have read elsewhere.

 

[Arkitect]

we can all understand hesitancy after Catalina...
i downloaded Big Sur today and i don't have any problems (but have only tested all apps for only a few hours).
i didn't clock the entire download but it took about 30 min to download then about 20 minutes to install.
its solid on my machine (MacBook Air 2019; 16GB memory 1.6 Dual i5).
its a release that reveals small differences from Catalina very gradually. but i like the visual appearance very much. (there are mega-long threads on other boards that debate this).
its crisp and sharp and a more visually unified than Catalina.
all apps open very quickly and no lag.* Safari is quick.
none of my apps needed re-arranging - it left my format/appearance changes in tact across all apps.
its the first time that apple Mail has been solid on an initial release.
it appears to me the big changes are under the hood including making it less different from iOS devices as apple integrates its hardware-software even more.
*nb: Rhino 3D has some issues on this initial Big Sur release i have read elsewhere.

Thanks!
Fingers crossed it is a solid release.

Also noted your comment on Rhino 3D… Definitely the workhorse app on my Mac.

 

[Alli]

My guess is that at the beginning, when Big Sur was ready to be released in prime time, that the servers just got overwhelmed by demand and that this, more than anything else, is what caused glitches.....

Whatever. So, Alli, are you enjoying Big Sur?

By the time it finished installing last night, it was past my bedtime, so I haven’t seen much of it yet. First stop is always coffee on the deck, but my Mac is definitely the next stop this morning. I’ve already watched the MR video on what’s new. I always appreciate their videos.

 

[Clix Pix]

Oh, I should watch that video, too, before I even install Big Sur! I saw on MR something which may have been a factor in yesterday's launch issues, and I hope that things have improved today for people trying to install it.

 

[Joe]

It downloaded for me no problem. I did play with it a few minutes. The apps all look like iPhone apps. That is about as much as I observed last night. I haven't dug around more.

 

[Alli]

I like the Safari update. I will look forward to using iPad apps on the Mac.

 

[SuperMatt]

I worked a full day of web dev on it today. I like it quite a bit with one exception: Y U TAKE AWAY MY CALCULATOR WIDGET?!?!?!?

 

[Alli]

At some point I’m going to invest some time in the new Photos app. It looks amazing!

 

[Clix Pix]

OK, I went ahead, reassured by what I was seeing here, on MR and on Nikon Cafe, and first downloaded and installed Big Sur in my 2017 12" MacBook -- all went so smoothly I was impressed and decided to go ahead and do this machine, too, the 2018 MBP, and again, a smooth process, no hitches or glitches, and I'm now happily typing away on it and enjoying the looks and the speed of Big Sur. This one's a keeper!

I had shot a couple of photos earlier in the day which I hadn't gotten around to processing so this was a good opportunity to see if there would be any issues with the programs I use, and happily, my main one, DXO PhotoLab 4, works just fine, and Topaz Sharpen offered an update which I did before going on to use the program, so it's all set, too. Luminar 3, which I've hung on to mainly because I like the "erase" tool in it better than in my DXO app, seemed to be working fine until I was ready to export the image back to the desktop and then the program crashed. I tried it again with the same results. Well, it's an older program so I doubt that they'll update it, since there are new versions out there.... I'll keep it around for a while, see what happens and then delete it if it becomes apparent that it's going to be useless to me now.

I never use Photos, never did even back in the day when it was iPhoto.....so haven't even looked at it. I also haven't yet opened iTunes and played something just to be sure all is well there, too.

As for putting the apps from my iPhones and iPads on my Mac, I don't have that many apps in the first place and I don't really see a need to do this. Maybe I'm missing something here....?

Everything is so much snappier and quick -- I'm loving that and I also like the looks of the UI, too! Fresh and "clean".....

 

[Alli]

I never use Photos, never did even back in the day when it was iPhoto.....so haven't even looked at it. I also haven't yet opened iTunes and played something just to be sure all is well there, too.

ITunes is still a thing?

 

[Eric]

I tried to update my wife's computer this morning but it doesn't have the space. It needs 16GB to install and the installation file itself is 12GB, I freed up over 30GB and it's still telling me I need to free up 4GB more. I removed all of my Adobe PS applications, the only thing left is MS Office and I'm not doing it, absolutely ridiculous. We're just not upgrading that laptop, Apple needs to work that out.

 

[Clix Pix]

ITunes is still a thing?

I still call it iTunes, even if Apple refers to it as simply Music now! LOL! As long as I can play my music collection that I have lovingly developed over many years, I don't care what they want to call it!

 

[lizkat]

I still call it iTunes, even if Apple refers to it as simply Music now! LOL! As long as I can play my music collection that I have lovingly developed over many years, I don't care what they want to call it!

My 2020 MBA (bought this past spring) had of course arrived w/ Catalina installed. Even after a whole summer of getting to know that operating system, I still absentmindedly sometimes click on the Music app instead of the TV app when meaning to play a purchased movie, just because its icon looks like the old umbrella app iTunes that "did everything".

 

[Clix Pix]

Exactly! I still have to remind myself to go to the "TV" icon when I want to watch one of my purchased movies! Haven't done it enough yet that it's now firmly ingrained as a habit.

 

[Eric]

I did end up installing this in my iMac, I am surprised at what a large undertaking the process was both in time and the huge amount of space required to install it.

 

[Zoidberg]

Due to having all my pictures in Aperture, I’m going to skip this one too. I figure I’ll stay on Mojave for a long time to come...

 

[Clix Pix]

I reluctantly made the big change from Aperture, a program I loved, when it became clear that other programs were offering newer tools and techniques and that Apple was not going to allow it to take up residence in Catalina at all. I tried out various programs and for a while used Luminar 3, having tried Capture One and finding it overkill for my needs. Last year when I bought my new gear it was time to get serious about the editing program situation and this time I happened upon DXO PhotoLab 3, which I found was really suited to my needs and my editing style. A year later I'm still very happy with it and have now upgraded to PhotoLab 4. I still jump into Luminar 3 every now and then to maybe add a finishing touch or two or an image or to use their wonderful erase tool, which I like better than the one in DXO PhotoLab 4.

I still have the RAW files from the images I edited in Aperture, along with the edited images themselves, so that if I ever had the need or desire to re-edit one of them for some reason, I could do so. I didn't really use Aperture as a DAM, so that wasn't particular relevant in my situation. I think Aperture files can be transferred to Capture One, though, or could at one time.

As for Big Sur, I am really liking it so far and am very happy that I went ahead and installed it on both my machines. This was the most smooth, painless transition from one OS to another that I've ever experienced.

 

[chagla]

it's very ios'ish... broke McAfee security software.. or maybe i need to update that as well. gotta spend some more time.

 

[Alli]

it's very ios'ish... broke McAfee security software.. or maybe i need to update that as well. gotta spend some more time.

Why are you using McAfee?