Preferred distribution of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion

[xxBURT0Nxx]

What if you want to restore your computer from Time Machine? Normally you would boot from the OS install disk, plug in your Time Machine disk, and it would restore your computer exactly the way it was at a given point. How would you do that with an App Store download, since you can't boot from it, thus you can't erase your system and restore it should you need to?

I'm sure apple will add some type of utility into time machine for those who don't have a disc to boot from... don't worry they aren't going to abandon time machine because of the mac app store.

 

[petvas]

What if you want to restore your computer from Time Machine? Normally you would boot from the OS install disk, plug in your Time Machine disk, and it would restore your computer exactly the way it was at a given point. How would you do that with an App Store download, since you can't boot from it, thus you can't erase your system and restore it should you need to?

There are a couple of scenarios that cannot be done without a bootable media. I think Apple should offer the option to download from the AppStore and if the user wants also send the DVD. Apple should then charge a bit extra for the DVD.
The Lion installer should also give users the option to create a bootable USB and DVD for recovery purposes. Add to that the new recovery partition that Lion now creates and we are set.

 

[talmy]

The Lion installer should also give users the option to create a bootable USB and DVD for recovery purposes.

This might already be possible. The Lion Preview is a .dmg file. I don't know if burning a disk of it will create a bootable DVD, but perhaps it would work, or at least could work with the general release.

 

[Just "Vinnie"]

I don't understand the poll. Can't make an informed decisions without some facts first:

Will all the distribution options be priced the same? How large is the file? Will I be able to make my own install DVD with it? Will it need to be dual layer? What format will the download be in?

Given all things are equal, the only advantage to downloading it would be instant gratification. Personally I can wait for it to show up in the mail on disk.

 

[baryon]

There are a couple of scenarios that cannot be done without a bootable media. I think Apple should offer the option to download from the AppStore and if the user wants also send the DVD. Apple should then charge a bit extra for the DVD.
The Lion installer should also give users the option to create a bootable USB and DVD for recovery purposes. Add to that the new recovery partition that Lion now creates and we are set.

Is the new recovery partition able to do all the things the current Snow Leopard disk can do? Such as enter Disk Utility and partition/format drives and all that, and restore from Time Machine? If it does, then that's basically the answer. You install Lion from the file you downloaded from the App Store, and then it creates a separate bootable partition which acts as a recovery disk, which is awesome as you'll always have it with you and you don't need a disk drive at all.

Actually all I use my disk drive for is burning DVDs and CDs for my university assignments a few times a year. The only reason I can't live without a disk drive is installing the operating system.

The App Store is actually quite cool, as you can never lose your apps! Your ownership is stored on Apple's server, and you can always get your stuff back whenever you want... I'm pretty sure this is the future!

 

[Damian.]

More people prefer the USB drive so far

 

[roadbloc]

This might already be possible. The Lion Preview is a .dmg file. I don't know if burning a disk of it will create a bootable DVD, but perhaps it would work, or at least could work with the general release.

It does work.

 

[AdrianK]

An entire single layer DVD would take 49 minutes to download on my connection, so definitely download. Besides, I always lose disks, which is why I have copies of the OS X DVDs on an external drive.

 

[rorschach]

App Store for sure...much faster.

 

[bushido]

This might already be possible. The Lion Preview is a .dmg file. I don't know if burning a disk of it will create a bootable DVD, but perhaps it would work, or at least could work with the general release.

wow this will make pirating the final OS even easier if thats the case. apple isn't really "good" at securing their OS from pirating as it is

 

[Lord Appleseed]

I would take a download too, no problem. Then I'd buy a big enough USB and save it down there to keep it backed up with the rest of the Mac-CDs and Booklets.

 

[Mal]

wow this will make pirating the final OS even easier if thats the case. apple isn't really "good" at securing their OS from pirating as it is

Apple has always shown that they are more concerned with a good user experience than preventing piracy. Minimal, non-intrusive checks at most, even on the OEM install disks. This doesn't really change that in any significant way.

jW

 

[Drewbie]

i would like to see a usb drive that pulls away from the computer much like the sim card is removed from an iphone 3g/3gs

just push a little pin in there and walla, out comes your install dvd that can plug into a usb port....

minimalistic design but not hard to lose...

 

[FroMann]

DVD, a flash drive has the possible chance of crashing and probably costs more to manufacture.

 

[chrismacguy]

Personally I want USB and DVD in a single box - I dont want it on the App Store - then I can use the USB on my MacBook Air and the DVD on my Mac Pro, and install it at the same time - and then again on the rest of my Lion capable Macs (Being able to double up installs would save me so much time).