I am so mad at Apple

[Anaxarxes]

Computers are way different than smartphones. It’s completely normal (and expected) for a 10 year old computer to work. That’s the way it is for both Windows and Linux. Apple is the odd one out here. They treat their macOS updates like iPhone updates — a big numbered updates each year. And then developers have to target that specific update (and older ones if they choose, kudos to the ones that do). But the underlying code base is largely the same. It’s an arbitrary limitation by Apple.

Again, Apple stands alone on this. My example says it all. My same laptop computer runs modern software but only under the Windows partition.

10 year old computer works just fine. All security updates and stuff are still applied to it.

A 3rd party software developer decided not to run their latest version of their program on its version of the OS - completely and 100% on their discretion but this is not on Apple at all. Not to add that this software in question has a web interface that can run with any modern browser.

Apple has an OS that runs on Apple HW only. Linux and Windows are not tied to any brand of computer but they do have minimum HQ requirements that might support even a 15 year old HW - but they do not have control on how it runs on that specific HW, hell there they might run but some peripheral might not be supported.

Entitledness on this ask is otherworldly.

It's like owning an old car that cannot meet emission requirements and the driver blaming the car company for not doing so.

 

[sleeptodream]

Computers are way different than smartphones. It’s completely normal (and expected) for a 10 year old computer to work. That’s the way it is for both Windows and Linux. Apple is the odd one out here. They treat their macOS updates like iPhone updates — a big numbered updates each year. And then developers have to target that specific update (and older ones if they choose, kudos to the ones that do). But the underlying code base is largely the same. It’s an arbitrary limitation by Apple.

Again, Apple stands alone on this. My example says it all. My same laptop computer runs modern software but only under the Windows partition.

Are they that different? I find them very similar. A 10 year old mac will still work, **using the same software from 10 years prior**. Software changes a lot in 10 years, and companies will only support as far back as their budget allows.

Really though how often in history have 10 year old computers been truly useful for modern tasks? In 1995 a 1985 computer felt like a dinosaur. Same as 2005 vs 1995. Same as 2015 vs 2005. A decade in the computer industry is a paradigm shift. I’d say we’re lucky that the pace has slowed some to where in 2025 a 2015 computer is still relatively useful, but I wouldn’t say it should be a given that it would be

 

[v0lume4]

Are they that different? I find them very similar. A 10 year old mac will still work, **using the same software from 10 years prior**. Software changes a lot in 10 years, and companies will only support as far back as their budget allows.

Really though how often in history have 10 year old computers been truly useful for modern tasks? In 1995 a 1985 computer felt like a dinosaur. Same as 2005 vs 1995. Same as 2015 vs 2005. A decade in the computer industry is a paradigm shift. I’d say we’re lucky that the pace has slowed some to where in 2025 a 2015 computer is still relatively useful, but I wouldn’t say it should be a given that it would be

The issue at hand is software, not hardware. Windows and Linux, ironically, are the OS’s that basically “just work” as long as the host device can compute 0’s and 1’s. Apple artificially locks out older hardware from running newer software.

As for developers, I’m not one myself so I can’t speak for the ins and outs of it, but Windows doesn’t get segregated into big numbered releases every year. If you compile something for Windows 10, for example, it is probably going to run on all versions of Windows 10. It doesn’t work that way for macOS with the way Apple segregates their releases.

So between Apple and the developers, you get a terrible cocktail of incompatibility.

I’m sorry, but for some of us, the solution isn’t “just spend $2,000 every 7 years bro.”

 

[schnaps]

v0lume4​

>>locks out older hardware from running newer software.
And blocks the launch of old software on new operating systems.

As a result, in the backup of distributions, you have to store sub-variants of the same software for each product and OS. Newer software usually does not have any new functions needed by the user, usually its only advantage is that it can simply run on a newer OS. Often there is no need for new software unless the old software is blocked by each new OS.

 

[tomekwsrod]

Ask the devs to compile the app in a way that includes your system.