How to check Audio & MIDI Plug-Ins, Drivers, Input Methods, etc. for Compatibility?

[Dark Goob]

Before I upgrade to Mountain Lion, I want to make sure all my existing software is compatible with it, especially:
* Audio Plug-Ins (Audio Units)
* MIDI Plug-Ins
* MIDI Drivers
* Printer drivers
* Audio interface drivers
* MIDI interface drivers
* USB->Serial adapter drivers
* Input Methods
* File Systems
* PreferencePanes
* Extensions (/Library/Extensions etc.)
* 3rd-party Frameworks
* etc.

I had very few compatibility problems going from Snow Leopard to Lion -- all my existing software worked. I had to update a couple of things but nothing became unusable.

How can I find out if my stuff will work on Mountain Lion, short of just upgrading and "finding out the hard way"?

I did find a nice list on a website that lists compatibility for a lot of applications, but it does not deal with drivers, plug-ins, file systems, or any of those other things that exist within the sub-folders of /Library/ and /Users/me/Library/.

It would be nice if there was an app that you could run which would scan all that stuff and tell you if it's known to be compatible, unknown, or known to be incompatible.

 

[fisherking]

seriously? you have to check with each developer. for example, the audio plugin developers, the audio interface people, etc. THEY are the ones (and their sites, of course) that can tell you about compatibility.

am running logic on my mac; lots of AU plugins, a focusrite interface. everything works in ML here (and i did have to DL a few new drivers, etc).

u have to do the work; go to the sites, look for 'mountain lion (or 10.8) compatibility. email the developers if you're not sure...

 

[Dark Goob]

seriously? you have to check with each developer. for example, the audio plugin developers, the audio interface people, etc. THEY are the ones (and their sites, of course) that can tell you about compatibility.

am running logic on my mac; lots of AU plugins, a focusrite interface. everything works in ML here (and i did have to DL a few new drivers, etc).

u have to do the work; go to the sites, look for 'mountain lion (or 10.8) compatibility. email the developers if you're not sure...

Actually, RoaringApps shows Mountain Lion compatibility for apps, and even some audio plug-ins. However, I am just trying to find out if there is another similar list for audio plug-ins and drivers BEFORE I embark on the long quest finding out for myself the hard way.

BTW, the developers' websites do not show any information on a lot of the ones I am most concerned about.

For example, Native Instruments PRO-53 is my primary synth plug-in, and has been for many years now. I am constantly afraid that a Mac system update will break it, because it is no longer in development. I cannot find any information on the developer's website as to whether or not it is compatible with Mountain Lion.

I wish Apple would take some actual responsibility and make it easier to figure out what stuff they're going to break with each update. They could at least issue a compatibility tool that scans your system for things and figures out if it uses aspects of the system that will screw it up on Mountain Lion. Or at least that analyzes users' crash reports and finds software that is crashing on the new system, then warns you about it before upgrading. They seemed to try to do this with Lion, where it moves incompatible items to a folder, but I want to know before I waste my time.

 

[fisherking]

Actually, RoaringApps shows Mountain Lion compatibility for apps, and even some audio plug-ins. However, I am just trying to find out if there is another similar list for audio plug-ins and drivers BEFORE I embark on the long quest finding out for myself the hard way.

BTW, the developers' websites do not show any information on a lot of the ones I am most concerned about.

For example, Native Instruments PRO-53 is my primary synth plug-in, and has been for many years now. I am constantly afraid that a Mac system update will break it, because it is no longer in development. I cannot find any information on the developer's website as to whether or not it is compatible with Mountain Lion.

I wish Apple would take some actual responsibility and make it easier to figure out what stuff they're going to break with each update. They could at least issue a compatibility tool that scans your system for things and figures out if it uses aspects of the system that will screw it up on Mountain Lion. Or at least that analyzes users' crash reports and finds software that is crashing on the new system, then warns you about it before upgrading. They seemed to try to do this with Lion, where it moves incompatible items to a folder, but I want to know before I waste my time.

i hear you, i do. but you can EMAIL; email NI about pro-53, you can always send email to developers (i torture them WHENEVER necessary...)

 

[pbrooks]

I can report no problems with Line6 software and plugins on 10.8.1.