Is Big Sur 11.1 the 1st MacOS update with "Desktop and Documents" DEFAULTED to iCloud?

[Marty_Macfly]

Hi All,


Is Big Sur 11.1 the 1st MacOS update with "Desktop and Documents" DEFAULTED to iCloud?
Or does Apple do an annoying thing of flip flopping between DEFAULTED to iCloud or not, depending on the latest fashion fad for that year?


If 11.1 is the 1st time the MacOS has "Desktop and Documents" DEFAULTED to iCloud - Then isn't this a sign of the direction of MacOS for the future, and non techie newbies should just embrace the new normal, and do backups accordingly?


Hope you guys can advise a Mac newbie on this. I really just want to just use the Mac, and not constantly go against the grain with the MacOS's standard settings.



Kind regards
Martin

 

[MrTSolar]

As someone who's fought against cloud services for years, I'm actually surprised that iCloud is still optional. Granted, that "optional" window gets smaller every year, and moves like this just help push it one step closer to being required. Default options have almost never been to the user's advantage (share all your data, automatically update, leave your radios blasting full-time, etc.).

As for this setting, I can't tell you if this is a first move or not, but all that setting does is automatically sync your Desktop and Documents folders with iCloud. It's a pseudo-backup (protects your files if your Mac dies or is lost/stolen, but not from changes made) and allows access to files in these locations from other Macs, iPads, iPhones, or from the web. If these features aren't important to you, then feel free to turn it off.

You can go against the grain like I do. It makes life interesting, not to mention triggering some folks here.

 

[Longkeg]

I don’t know if Big Sur is the first OS to do this but it comes as no surprise. Apple will gladly sell you more iCloud space when that 128 gig SSD on your MBA fills up. Apple is banking on “non-techie newbies” going with the flow. It’s their business model!

I put as little as possible in iCloud, or any cloud service. Not because of security concerns or nebulous conspiracy theories but because I want to be in control of my data.

“Newbies,” be they techie or not, certainly have the ability and right to think for themselves. Get educated and do what is right for your situation. Sometimes I think the company that told us to “Think Different” is becoming more like that company they parodied in that famous “1984” commercial.

 

[Fishrrman]

I don't use iCloud in any way, shape or form.
Big Sur 11.2 boots right up for me.