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Is there any point of going 10.8 GM --> Retail Version?
- Thread starter L4Leonard
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If you didn't install any DPs before the GM there wouldn't be much benefit to installing this final release. I upgraded from a DP to the GM and compared to a clean install I just did today it was as buggy as hell.
If you didn't touch the DPs there wouldn't be any reason to do a clean install beyond the usual one of cleaning out the cruft.
Nothing has changed. The GM and Final Retail are literally bit-for-bit the same thing.
You aren't really 'updating' anything. It would be equivalent to installing Lion over Lion..
The GM stands for golden-master, it is the master copy they use to make all the other retail dvds. Now with the app store distributing it and not DVDs, it sort of is irrelevant but it still is the same copy.
If you download the GM, and if you download the App Store "retail" version, you are literally downloading the same thing twice.
The gold master. Build 269 was called the GM before the release today. Apple then just changed the name from GM to final release. That's what Apple does with GM builds.
The problems will come with future updates where having GM I am pretty much stuck until I will "obtain" another "newer" copy of ML.
I've checked the hashes between the GM and the retail version, and they're identical. There is absolutely no difference at all between them and there is no reason to reinstall.
For some people it isn't showing up as being installed.
Well, it isn't for me anyway.
But with the updates coming from the MAS now, and not Software Update utility, is there any way to confirm whether or not they will show up without ML showing as purchased? I imagine this would be a good way for Apple to start policing pirating, which seems strangely ignored.
It doesn't matter if MAS shows if you purchased Mountain Lion. As long as you are running 10.8 Build 12A269, you will get all updates. While I'm not advocating piracy, they aren't going to be checking based on a MAS purchase or not -- there are other legitimate ways you could have obtained 12A269, including having it pre-installed on your computer, or (eventually) purchasing a USB thumbdrive from apple.
If you "upgrade" from GM to "Retail", you will literally be installing the exact same image -- the install media is *identical*.
If you "upgrade" from GM to "Retail", you will literally be installing the exact same image -- the install media is *identical*.
You're still going to be getting folks that refuse to believe you because it isn't named the same which is ridiculous.
Even though someone went over it already I'll pitch in as well.
Apple/Microsoft do/did the same thing with their OS.
Once the OS reaches the final build, Apple calls their product Gold Master, basically saying this is the master copy to make CD's/DVD's. It is released a few weeks prior to public release so that they can have the install media ready to go public.
Microsoft calls theirs RTM or Release to Manufacturer, same meaning as above.
Any bugs reported or fixes found after those builds go into the next "Service Packs".
This conversation has been brought up at every new release of OS X or Windows.
If you have GM/Final release, whichever you want to call it, you'll have the same product and receive the same updates because....it is the same thing.
Relax people. It isn't a trap to "catch the pirates" when it comes time for 10.8.x
Speaking of piracy. Does anyone know why OS X in general doesn't try to stop people from doing this? I know Apple are a 'hardware company' but until Lion the cost of OS X was still quite high, so by not doing anything about piracy they are losing out on a lot of money.
I have only been using a Mac for about 12months so it is all new to me but it seems strange they have no way of knowing who is pirating and do not try to stop it at all.
I recently had to do an internet restore to a Macbook Air that I was selling after I fully erased the drive. When I rebooted it did have to check with the app store to make sure that I had purchased the OS before it would restore. Just FYI it would be worth the $20 just incase you need to recover the hard drive without going back to the original OS and doing all the updates one at a time.