Mountain Lion or Mavericks?

[greencat365]

I have a MacBook that I bought in late 2010. It runs OS 10.6.8. I hadn't updated the OS because it was working fine for me, but it occurred to me the other day that I should do that.

I tried upgrading to Yosemite. It looks horrible, so I wiped that thing and reinstalled my most recent Time Machine backup.

Can I do an intermediate OS upgrade? If so, which version should I choose? Mountain Lion appears to still be for sale in the Apple store here: http://store.apple.com/us/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion. Every search I do for Mavericks redirects me straight to the page for Yosemite. Would I have to do something questionably legal to get Mavericks?

Should I upgrade? I'm interesting in making my system last as long as possible so I can leapfrog this Yosemite nonsense.

 

[e93to]

If you insist on upgrading, I would suggest Mountain Lion. I don't think you can get Mavericks at this point. But it depends on several things - your Mac's spec (CPU, memory, etc.), softwares you have, etc. Even if you upgrade to 10.10, you may not get all the advertised features. For example, features like Handoff, SMS, calling and Airdrop are not compatible with 2010 MacBook Pro' - http://support.apple.com/kb/PH18947?viewlocale=en_US

I tried Mavericks on my late 2009 MacBook Pro (4gb memory, 2.53 GHz core 2 duo) on a partition, and I was surprised that it ran fine. However, my MacBook Pro overheated after some time even though I was only running basic apps like Safari, mail and Pages, hence triggering fans to run at 4000+ RPM. And there were some odd unexplainable issues (sound not working after some time, Safari webpages getting stuck, etc.). I did not transfer any data from 10.6.8 to 10.9, which led me to believe that using Mavericks as I normally would could have produced more issues.

If you would like to upgrade, I suggest cloning your hard drive as a back-up. Or you can clone your hard drive onto an external drive, and install 10.8 or 10.10 on that external drive to try out the new OS.

My MacBook Pro is still on 10.6.8, and I managed to get some features available on 10.7 or later - http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-set-up-icloud-services-in-snow-leopard/. Syncing iCal with iPhones works on my 10.6.8 MacBook Pro, although I have to open iCal to download all my new schedules on iPhone. And if you would like to use new gestures introduced on 10.7 or later, Better Touch Tool can modify some gesture settings on 10.6.8 - http://www.bettertouchtool.net

 

[greencat365]

Thanks! I haven't been having any issues with 10.6.8, just had a panic moment there that I might not be able to run new important software at some point in the future. I think I'll wait until it ever does become a problem, then install Mountain Lion if I need to.

 

[SusanK]

Mountain Lion is an excellent choice.

 

[Command]

Mountain Lion is an excellent choice.

Especially since Mavericks is no longer available in the AppStore.

 

[Intell]

I suggest you upgrade to 10.9. 10.8 only has one year of updates left, then it'll be end of lifed. You can legally obtain 10.9 by contacting Apple Support. They'll send you a redemption code so that you can download it from the App Store.

 

[Command]

I have a MacBook that I bought in late 2010. It runs OS 10.6.8. I hadn't updated the OS because it was working fine for me, but it occurred to me the other day that I should do that.

I tried upgrading to Yosemite. It looks horrible, so I wiped that thing and reinstalled my most recent Time Machine backup.

Can I do an intermediate OS upgrade? If so, which version should I choose? Mountain Lion appears to still be for sale in the Apple store here: http://store.apple.com/us/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion. Every search I do for Mavericks redirects me straight to the page for Yosemite. Would I have to do something questionably legal to get Mavericks?

Should I upgrade? I'm interesting in making my system last as long as possible so I can leapfrog this Yosemite nonsense.

Although the requirements for Mountain Lion up to Yosemite are the same, I feel you'll likely be happy with it. Truthfully, Lion has the closest / same minimum requirements as Snow Leopard and is the closest OS you'll get while still getting iCloud but you should really have no trouble with Mountain Lion just the same.
Also, you're correct - Mavericks is not available in the App Store. So, Mountain Lion is your only intermediary option. From Snow Leopard, you can go where ever you want with no sequential upgrade. (since I said that, you can't go backwards without an erase...)

 

[greencat365]

My computer at work runs Mountain Lion, so I've had the chance to play around with it. It's great.

 

[maflynn]

I like both, and both have their positives/negatives. I'd opt for Mavericks though, since it gives you a bit more features

 

[oneshotpro]

Mountain Lion.

 

[Fishrrman]

One more recommendation for Mountain Lion.

You don't want either Mavericks or Yosemite unless you have an SSD in the MacBook.

Actually, an SSD is the best choice. It made a WORLD of difference in my 2010 MBPro 13"...

 

[Eithanius]

I'd go for Mountain Lion if not for the audio stuttering bug... Otherwise it's Mavericks...

 

[Macsonic]

I am using Mountain Lion. Tried Mavericks but my apps are slower compared to Mountain Lion. My experience is similar to what is being discussed here https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5491144?start=0&tstart=0

List View Column Too Wide
Another drawback with Mavericks is in the List View, the column for the file name is too wide that the column "Date Modified", "Size", Kind etc are too far to the right. I always have to adjust manually the column width that slows down my workflow when I am in a rush. I deal with 50-100+ files and I use the List view often. With Mountain Lion this is not a problem.

Color Label in Mavericks
The colours are reduced to just dots adjacent the file name that also slows down my workflow in sorting out groupings of 100+ images. With Mountain Lion, when applying colour coding, the whole file name is highlighted just like Snow Leopard.

Though I know to other Mavericks users the above listed are non-issues and are fine with Mavericks.

 

[carylee2002]

I find that snow leopard overall to be the most stable osx i've used. But if you need go to newer OS…Mountain Lion is the way to go. Mavericks and Yosemite is really not that great. Especially if you need stability.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

Upgraded 1 year ago both my MBP 2011 and my MacPro 5,1 from the wonderful SL to ML.
Did not before, because SL ran without ANY problem. SL is now known as "apple´s XP" .

Did not upgrade further because of the Tsunami of bugs and complaints about Maverick and Yosemite. A Professional repairing and selling day-by-day apple-equipment for business-people told me to stay with ML. So I did.

BUT there is one MORE good reason for NOT upgrading higher than 10.8.5:
ML is the LAST OSX-Version WITH LOCAL SYNCHRONISATION !
For the same reasons, I did NOT upgrade my IOS-Devices (iPhones, iPADs) since IOS7: This is also the LAST IOS-Version that allows you to keep your personal data in-house. With IOS7.1.2 and OSX 10.8.5 everything runs quite perfectly without any problem. I am really very happy with it.
EVERY later released OSX- and IOS-Versions forces you to synchronize via iCloud. I do not use iCloud. Why to transfer all your data all-around the world and BACK - just to synchronize a second device on the same table in front of you??

A further problem:
with Mavericks and Yosemite, and IOS 8, your apple-components will without rest try to synchronize with each other.
Therefore, your WiFi-band could be sometimes blocked by useless communication (this useless high saturation of WiFi-channels might be one of the reasons for the millions of cut-offs users were complaining using these newer OS) .

 

[Command]

Upgraded 1 year ago both my MBP 2011 and my MacPro 5,1 from the wonderful SL to ML.
Did not before, because SL ran without ANY problem. SL is now known as "apple´s XP" .

Did not upgrade further because of the Tsunami of bugs and complaints about Maverick and Yosemite. A Professional repairing and selling day-by-day apple-equipment for business-people told me to stay with ML. So I did.

BUT there is one MORE good reason for NOT upgrading higher than 10.8.5:
ML is the LAST OSX-Version WITH LOCAL SYNCHRONISATION !
For the same reasons, I did NOT upgrade my IOS-Devices (iPhones, iPADs) since IOS7: This is also the LAST IOS-Version that allows you to keep your personal data in-house. With IOS7.1.2 and OSX 10.8.5 everything runs quite perfectly without any problem. I am really very happy with it.
EVERY later released OSX- and IOS-Versions forces you to synchronize via iCloud. I do not use iCloud. Why to transfer all your data all-around the world and BACK - just to synchronize a second device on the same table in front of you??

A further problem:
with Mavericks and Yosemite, and IOS 8, your apple-components will without rest try to synchronize with each other.
Therefore, your WiFi-band could be sometimes blocked by useless communication (this useless high saturation of WiFi-channels might be one of the reasons for the millions of cut-offs users were complaining using these newer OS) .

While this might seem a decent argument, most of it is simply untrue. Even with the latest of both OS X and iOS software you are not forced to us iCloud. It is the default protocol however one can simply choose not use it and your synchronization with iOS and OS X via iTunes 12 is local and the same as it's ever been. Contacts, calendars, etc. all show up in the sync page as they always had - as long as they're not syncing with iCloud as you can't have it both ways. Additionally, with Yosemite and iOS8 your devices do not constantly sync with one another but instead with iCloud.com. iCloud.com is the apex of all content and that is what each device communicates with independently. This uses your WiFi primarily and little of it as they're only syncing changes in text in nearly all aspects which is why it's nearly real time. It can use your cellular data depending on your settings of choice. The only way your devices talk to each other is if you have your device set to sync over WiFi with iTunes. Now... the new Photos app does change things up a bit and uses a larger bit of bandwidth simply due to uploading / downloading images, which is logical. However, this too is optional and separate from iCloud in the meaning that you can use all other iCloud services and choose not to use iCloud photos, thus allowing them to sync just as they alway had, albeit through Photos rather than iPhoto since the latter has been deprecated. Notice the common denominator here is choice. You can fully update and retain your own desired sync methodology. So many (other smartphone users) complain that we are unable to change what Apple gives us but if we look under the hood there are many ways to tailor the way the systems and devices work and communicate.
The bottom line is whether your hardware can handle the software appropriately as Apple dictates what the requirements are however as we've always noted as end users, sometimes minimum requirements are simply a recipe for disaster if you just barely meet them. Additionally, it's not often the fault of the phone whether a call or data connection is lacking but rather the carrier. They are the ones advertising and claiming that they can handle all of this and the manufacturers communicate with them to ensure the technologies are in alignment. Not just Apple but any smartphone manufacturer. Apple has iCloud but there are many other cloud services based on manufacturers and developers that all effectively do the same thing. Naturally, regional limitations will apply anywhere. One carrier will always have better coverage than others in any given area. For the time being, anyway.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

@ Command

Thanks for your posting. I am glad that it seems being wrong in that part about "apple forced sync by cloud only"
BUT: Nearly ALL reviews and Articles about IOS 8 and OSX 10.9/10.10 told us that this would be the case.
I just believed them. Good to hear there are nevertheless options to sync only locally.

So - if I understood you correctly, I can sync ONLY my music in the iCloud and strictly avoid backup of all other things, the which I can continue to sync strictly local?

Would be nice to have backuped my music in the iCloud - and NOTHING than that.

nevertheless - I was very pleased using SL for years and now ML - without facing the problems other Users had with all the bugs and inconveniences of Maverick and Yosemite.

Same for IOS7. Maybe there are a lot of people REALLY needing the "new options" of OSX 10.9, 10.10 or IOS8 - personally I do not miss them (just up to date) .

I am extremely happy with ML/IOS7 - runs absolutely stable and fast.
No need for me to test if my MacPro 4,1, MBP 8,2, iP5,2OLD2 iPad Retina will work with later OS than OSX 10.8.5 or IOS7. Upgraded the MP a year ago with new hardware - runs very well under 10.8.5

Cheers

 

[Command]

Well, sorry about that - it's not about being 'right or wrong', just about the information. Basically, however, music is one of the only things that you can't necessarily sync with iCloud. Not in the way you might suggest, anyway. iTunes Match is a method of doing this but at this time it's the only way to sync a library with iCloud aside from purchases which are always available in the cloud. I have had iTunes Match for about 3(?) years now and I like it... I admit, Snow Leopard was a solid OS and I do miss it but I do try to keep up as the iterations come out. I don't want to experience the vast change so many do when I can take it in much smaller hits. My practice is to wait for the x.1 update and it's been decent thus far. Of course, every Mac is different as none of us keep solely OEM software so there are many variables. If Mountain Lion and iOS7 is sufficient for you, I see nothing wrong with maintaining that, personally. There is no right or wrong, really. It's what works for you with what you have. I certainly don't follow the implied mindset of buying new hardware every other time an OS version is released. Especially since they're releasing it every year as of late. I don't think they can perfect the current version before they release a new one today.