Spoof OS version for single app?

[senorcameltoe]

Is there a way to trick a single app into thinking it is running on a different version of OS X? I have an app that appears to be hard-coded to be incompatible via a version check. Since I upgraded to 10.8 it just pops up a dialog saying that it only runs on 10.7 without even attempting to open. Based on what the app does I believe that there is a very low probability of there being any actual incompatibility.

Does anyone know of any workarounds that might help?

 

[MacDawg]

Might help if you told what the App is
Others might be able to give you insight into if it can indeed run or not, or if there are legitimate limitations

 

[50548]

Is there a way to trick a single app into thinking it is running on a different version of OS X? I have an app that appears to be hard-coded to be incompatible via a version check. Since I upgraded to 10.8 it just pops up a dialog saying that it only runs on 10.7 without even attempting to open. Based on what the app does I believe that there is a very low probability of there being any actual incompatibility.

Does anyone know of any workarounds that might help?

You'd probably have to delve into .kext or .lproj files and see whether there is any code specifying OS X version numbers...hard task, to say the least.

 

[senorcameltoe]

Might help if you told what the App is
Others might be able to give you insight into if it can indeed run or not, or if there are legitimate limitations

I am trying to be nice and not out the developer for what I view as a questionable practice. Their software de-activates at every OS upgrade and makes you pay to re-enable it, without adding any new functionality in the app. i've been through this several times now.

The app connects to a non-Apple piece of software, reads some data, and then creates a series of simple files. If that other piece of software were updated then I completely understand that it requires effort on the part of the developer to keep their connectors up to date. I don't have any expectation that every piece of third party software will run correctly after a major upgrade so I'm willing to support people who have to put effort into their software. I'm not ok with hard-coded obsolescence.

I'd say I'm 90% certain that the only thing happening here is a recompile to change the allowed OS version numbers, but since I don't know for certain I don't want to point fingers and initiate name calling.

You'd probably have to delve into .kext or .lproj files and see whether there is any code specifying OS X version numbers...hard task, to say the least.

That was my fear - I was hoping for the off-chance that someone had an app-specific mechanism of something like this:
http://www.macbreaker.com/2012/01/how-to-spoof-your-version-of-mac-os-x.html

Sadly, it is a piece of software that I rely upon. It isn't a large sum of money to upgrade the license, but I don't like being held hostage every time I upgrade OS X.

EDIT:

By the way, I forgot to say it: Thanks for the replies.