# Here, Kitty Kitty Kitty... - Site: Analog Industries - Author: Chris Randall - Date: 2012-07-26 - URL: https://analogindustries.com/2012/07/here-kitty-kitty-kitty/ ![Here, Kitty Kitty Kitty...](https://analogindustries.com/images/blog/original.jpeg) _Fuck you, I'm a mountain lion!_ - Mountain Lion. So I spent the first four hours of yesterday dealing with Time Machine fuck-ups (I did a full snapshot instead of just the partial one I normally do, and it turns out my Time Machine drive wasn't big enough. Hilarity ensued.) After that, the Mountain Lion download from the app store, and install were painless as a major OS upgrade can be. Did I say "major?" This update should really be called OS X 10.7.6 or something, as all it really does is give you a couple widget apps and tune the system to where it should have been for Lion. I mean really. Game Center for OS X? I can't speak for \_your\_ peer group, but I don't even need one hand to count the people I know that give a flying fuck about that. I don't even need one finger, as it happens, as I don't know anybody that does. And I know quite a few people. On the whole, though, it feels _much_ more solid than Lion, which was a wall-to-wall disaster. As a musician (or, well, anybody at this point) the first thing you want to do is turn off Gatekeeper. This is a safety feature that prevents unsigned installers from running. It is the first step Apple is taking in their push to make everything on OS X sandboxed in the same way it is on iOS, and to give them total control of the supply chain. Apple's general vibe towards 3rd party devs: "well, sure, you can still do whatever the hell, but honestly, the customer experience will be better if you just buy the Developer Account, sign your installers and apps, and sell them through the App Store." Not really, and it's only the first real move towards a completely walled garden. They'll use the excuse that they're trying to save customers from themselves, but at the end of the day, in my opinion, this is all about money. I should mention at this juncture that if you're an exclusive AudioUnits user, your days are numbered. I don't have anything but rumors to go on, and my own experience in this business, but the sandboxing method they've chosen leaves plug-ins in general (for all apps that use them, not just music) out in the cold. When I think of the man-hours we've wasted on this stupid format, I get a little sick to my stomach. In any event, aside from disabling Gatekeeper so I can actually run unsigned installers, everything else seems copacetic. My MOTU Ultralite Mk3 works fine, in both USB and FireWire modes (and this means all MOTU interfaces should work fine, since they all use the same audio driver.) Maschine works fine. All the audio apps I have, and all the plug-ins I have (too many to list in either category) work fine. Peter Kirn has coverage of the [Native Instruments audio interface problem](http://createdigitalmusic.com/2012/07/audio-woes-now-on-new-apple-os-not-just-new-apple-laptops-ni-driver-fix-in-beta/) with USB, but I don't have any NI audio products to test it with. I've also read anecdotal evidence of problems installing some things due to changes in the Apple installer, but I haven't seen any myself. So, on the whole, my advice is this: if you're still at 10.6.8 like you should be, Mountain Lion will be a safe upgrade. You should skip Lion entirely. I would advise waiting until 10.7.3 to upgrade, and like Lion, you absolutely _must_ have 8gb of RAM or more. Both of these operating systems are useless with 4gb. If you're currently at Lion, and are not running a Native Instruments audio interface, I advise upgrading now, as Mountain Lion is a demonstrably better OS than Lion. **Edit**: I've heard anecdotal evidence that other USB audio interfaces are not working. So perhaps I should say that if you're running Lion and you're using a FireWire interface, you can (and maybe should) go ahead and update. If you're using a USB audio interface, you should wait. ## Comments (33) **mad ep** (2012-07-26): "..and like Lion, you absolutely must have 8gb of RAM or more. Both of these operating systems are useless with 4gb" Hehe - so for dinosaurs like me still running 10.6.8 on 2GB on a Macbook from 2008.. no need to worry about upgrading OS till I upgrade my hardware, eh? **mad ep** (2012-07-26): (and for what it is worth... I only upgraded to 10.6 last week.. I was plenty happy on 10.5.8, but then I bought an Organ VST from NI that needed Kontakt Player 5 - which only runs on 10.6... which means I had to update Live to 7 whatever bug fix they created....) I'm only 36, but I feel like an old man with people keep trying to fuck with my shit. **Chris Randall** (2012-07-26): Yeah, if you want to run the new hotness, you're gonna need to keep up with the Joneses. This is the Apple way, and is basically unavoidable. For what it's worth, Audio Damage has many customers that run Win XP SP3. If memory serves me, SP3, which was the final update for Win XP, came out in the fall of 2008, almost 4 years ago. This doesn't sound like such a long time, but in the same time frame, OS X 10.5 came out, and with it we got the new AudioUnits structure and were forced to deprecate 10.4 support. With our current builds, they won't run in 10.5 at all, and require 10.6.2 that came out in November of 2009. Windows XP was released in August of 2001, and the three (free) service packs have kept it a viable, albeit ugly, platform for music creation. We are only now seeing plug-ins that require Vista or better (mostly from FXpansion, who use DirectWrite for their font drawing, which is only in Vista and later.) -CR **obscurerobot** (2012-07-26): Is there anything official about support / software updates for Snow Leopard moving forward? I'm seeing a lot of forum posts that suggest that Apple only likes to support the two most recent versions of their OS. But my search skills are failing to turn up anything official from Apple. **Chris Randall** (2012-07-26): No idea, but as with all things Apple regarding legacy support, assume the worst. -CR **synthetic** (2012-07-26): You weren't kidding about the installer. Mtn Lion installer time remaining: "About -11 minutes." And keeps counting down. BTW, TASCAM interfaces are apparently not working correctly. I'll report back once I can test. Which is about 12 minutes ago according to Apple. **mad ep** (2012-07-26): @ Chris - Yeah fair enough... I mean, I usually run several Gens behind the crowd, because once I get something working the way I want it ... workflow is much more important to me than being all new & shiny. That said, when I am finally forced to update, it usually is a big & painful ordeal .. where I use language that even make sailors run and blush. **boobs** (2012-07-26): if any of you use redmattica apps.. the ones apple bought then vanished from the apple store, then you should be wary of Mtn Lion as the reports are that is basically fucks them all up in big ways. there's a thread somewhere at osxaudio.com about. not very inspiring. :( **analog monster** (2012-07-26): Earlier this week valve were saying windows 8 is heading for a closed system and shouting about how much of a disaster that will be. I think that is mostly about them losing their steam cut to micro$oft, but it is a valid point for music makers also. They are preparing themselves to get every steam app working with Linux. Due to the low levels of plugin releases I have avoided Linux for music making so far, but perhaps the situation will change over the next few years. As a developer what's your opinion on this Chris? Maybe I should bite the bullet and go hardware only! **4lefts** (2012-07-26): glad mad ep said it for me. i'm staying with 10.6.8 and my black macbook. i'll assess the lie of the land when i can afford a new machine. see whether 10.9 or win8 seems the lesser evil. or yeah, maybe i'll get a portastudio. **analog monster** (2012-07-26): Im still 10.6.8 on a 2009 MBP, which even maxxed out with 8gb ram and dual SSD/sata (no optical drive) is starting to feel slow. Doesn't handle FXPansion Tremor unless its in standalone and bloated OSes arent going to help the situation. I was considering an upgrade but being forced into sandboxes would push me away from a laptop for good. mcpstuff.com is in the process of modifying the MPC1000 with a larger screen to accommodate a great hacked OS, combined with my hardware synths this could be exactly what I need **darklordjames** (2012-07-26): Windows 8 won't destroy Valve or anyone else. The normal Windows 7 desktop is there with full, open functionality. Then there is the Metro part bolted on, far more closed, with it's own App Store. That will be an alternative place to buy stuff, sure, but it will take a long time for MS to become competitive with Valve in the space. The real question is "Does Microsoft have the balls to drop the desktop in Windows 9?". That gives Valve cause for concern. Gabe Newell isn't a dumb man. He isn't worried about Windows 8 in three months. His concern is the step or three after that over the next decade. **Chris Randall** (2012-07-26): Yeah, there's no reason whatsoever to be concerned about Windows 8. The Metro interface is totally voluntary. Windows is still there. As James says, that won't always be the case, but Microsoft is far more responsive to pro user demands than Apple is. Microsoft code runs on, well, I don't know if it's a majority, but a _lot_ of the world's non-desktop computer systems. They can't just Metro-fy ATMs, bus-stop advertising, kiosks, air traffic control systems, flight simulators, etc. None of that stuff runs OS X. Some of it runs variations on Linux. My sister is an IT person at the DIA, and that joint, which is huge, is 100% Windows, as is the vast majority of most government operations the world over. Steam is a fairly minor concern in all of that. -CR **analogcre8or** (2012-07-26): Very happy to stay put on 10.6.8 for now, since my system has never behaved better, crashed less or given me more amazing tools to work with than it now does. In fact I have no complaints really, nor any about iOS for that matter. If the two, in a way, 'merge' it'll be interesting to see what the resulting OS will look like and work like. Working in Logic as I do for the most part, if AUs get left behind there will be plenty of time to work up a new system parallel to still running the existing one (which is what I always do when getting a new system), so I'm not worried. If I were to venture a guess, "Logic 10" will still support AUs and there is a new generation MacPros on the horizon. But, yeah, there's a reason why Apple chose to feature a series of felines for their versions of OSX, as opposed to say, little cutesy herbivores... Does your cat care? I know mine doesn't, except about food of course. Very appropriate. **bongo_x** (2012-07-26): 10.6.8 is the new 10.4.11 in my world. I barely ever used 10.5 and didn't like it when I did, stayed with 10.4 forever. The question is; is 10.8 going to be like 10.6 and finally win me over, or am I 10.6.8 for life? **bongo_x** (2012-07-26): Actually the real question is; do I really need to ever upgrade? I'm old, but for the last 20 years it's always been "I can't wait until my computer can do X" and then some other tempting feat of strength down the road that would make making music better. In the last couple of years I feel like it's gotten to the point where I have everything and more than I could possibly need, and most of what I want in that little box. It really seems like I could easily work on my same setup 10 or 15 years from now and be fine. Of course that's all for my own needs. For actual paying clients I will have to upgrade to every stupid thing that comes down the road. Note to self; buy lottery tickets. bb **stevehumbert** (2012-07-26): I am one of the aforementioned XP users, mainly because I can never shake the feeling that Apple's business strategy is made up by a bunch of nerdy guys sitting about debating just what they could do next to Really Fuck People Off, and laughing like little girls when they think of a particularly excessive piece of bastardness. The plan to launch iPhone 5 with an all new 19 pin connector..... http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jul/24/iphone-5-launch-expected-september?newsfeed=true must have made them just about shit themselves hollow with mirth. I expect people who make stuff that works with iPhones/Pods/Pads will be less amused, even if Apple DO make an adaptor (which will only be available in white and cost 42 bucks). **analogcre8or** (2012-07-26): I'm with bongo_x. **obscurerobot** (2012-07-26): I can't afford to unplug my music machine from the Internet, so if security updates stop for Snow Leopard, I'll either be upgrading or moving to Windows. **ToneHead** (2012-07-26): >stevehumbert: No that's aluminum and $49, get with the program! This post honestly made the decision for me re: Snow Leopard Forever! at least on my 2009 Mini ... The comment regarding memory was what I surmised, glad to see a confirmation. Since the 2009 machine maxes at 4GB, it'll stay at 10.6.8 for the remainder of its serviceable life. I do have a 2010 machine with 8GB that can be sacrificed to the gods of novelty. It'll jump from Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion as soon as the kinks are ironed out, but it sounds like most of my gear will work, from the reports I'm hearing. Mr. Audio Unit, well I have the feeling he's digging his grave right now .... just doesn't seem like he fits in with the sheriff's new security regime ... **mosquito** (2012-07-26): @stevehumbert @obscurerobot i'm on win7 after finally getting fed up with apple and os x. however i do have a confession: i was still running os 9 with cubase 5 on it. up until about a year and a half ago when the machine stopped turning on? if its just the power supply i may fix it and put it back into service. i've just been too lazy to take it somewhere. i gave up trying to keep up. its not worth it, especially with the approach apple takes of dropping support for older hardware. i face different challenges with windows, but for now they are fewer than i faced with os x. but i am living proof that you don't have to upgrade if you don't want too. i can still record, etc on a os 9 mac and not have issues. :D **boobs** (2012-07-27): @mosquito - can you run the twisted tools reaktor ensembles? ;) i kid. i know you can't. #snark **afewster** (2012-07-27): I upgraded one of my systems yesterday, which killed Chrome and Evernote. Allen & Heath aren't offering support for Mountain Lion yet, so with my Zed R16 mixer, I'll be waiting for some time before I upgrade.. **quantize** (2012-07-27): Audio Units was always going to be a pointless a ridiculous exercise...they didn't even have the sense to pay attention to the lesson Microsoft learnt.. **mosquito** (2012-07-27): @boobs why would i need too? i own hardware. you know that stuff people use to use instead of a laptop? http://www.flickr.com/photos/chokingsun/6444026713/in/set-72157627488948779/lightbox/ **metaphysician** (2012-07-27): so - question on the AU front. are they just going to replace it with something more arbitrary and Apple exclusive? last i heard even iOS was planning to support some version of AU for iOS6. i might consider jumping ship to another DAW, unless they mean that the architecture of the new OS wouldn't support AUs at all, in which case i might be tempted to move to Linux. i know we're not talking about Mountain Lion but future OSs, but i'm curious what's been hinted at regarding the future of AU. **boobs** (2012-07-27): @mosquito - of course you don't 'have to' and i also own and use hardware... always have .. but i can't deny my love of software as well.. there are a lot of exciting things out there in the software world. some guys called AudioDamage make some pretty cool plug ins for example ;) my snark was as much for me as for you.. as a friend of mine once said "if i ever see OS9 again i'll kill steve jobs". doesn't make as much sense now obviously but the point is there. i applaud your sticking to what works but OS9 not really an option for a lot of people. it's awesome that it works out that well for you. here's an old pic/write up http://trashaudio.com/2008/06/workspace-and-environment-ignatius/ modular = constant change for a while though is becoming more set in stone. https://p.twimg.com/AyxJjEtCYAAgUsq.jpg:large there are some things that make current software irreplaceable imo... regardless of how much hardware i have.. but depends on what kind of music, goals etc.. **ewar** (2012-07-27): I upgraded last night and my NI Komplete Audio 6 seems to be working fine... you had me worried there for a second. **Chris Randall** (2012-07-28): @metaphysician - iOS has CoreAudio more or less identical to that in OS X. Thus, everything is done with AudioUnits. It has about half of the ones that are built in to OS X, at any rate, and you can construct new ones in the same way you would an AU plug-in. The way iOS is designed, however, there are no "plug-ins" as such. It is very difficult for one app to talk to another (the much-lauded sandboxing; each app has its own file system, and doesn't really have access to the system filesystem as far as that goes.) There are some work-arounds, of course, but they're subject to the whims of Apple at any given time. Sandboxed audio apps in OS X can still see AudioUnits plug-ins, unlike in iOS; however, those plug-ins can only use specific forms of copy protection that take in to account the sandboxing. Ours do not, as it happens. I would say, out of all commercial AudioUnits (the vast majority of which are, as has been discussed, wrapped VSTs, or wrapped versions of a company's internal format, like iZotope's iZoplug format or NI's Reaktor engine), very few can be sandboxed as-is. If you're curious, you can go grab one of the sandboxed AU hosts currently available in the App Store (such as Audulus) and see which of your commercial AUs work with it unchanged. My guess is very few. This will be identical to what a hypothetical sandboxed version of Logic will experience. The plug-in market is almost certainly going to see an upheaval in the next couple years as systems like this take hold. With Propellerheads' Re store being the vanguard, of course. Each manufacturer will have to pick and choose as to what formats he's going to buy in to. I would be Jack's complete lack of surprise, were I to get an email from the head of the Audio group (Michael Wong in this case, who is always the bearer of tidings of this sort) telling us that "exciting changes are afoot! Please have all your plug-ins re-built to be sold inside the Logic Store by the end of next week so we get a 30% cut of all your action! And don't forget to make sure your ADC account is paid up and current!" -CR **metaphysician** (2012-07-28): younch...so sandboxing Logic ala iOS would mean at the least, significant revision of a majority of protected commercial AU plugins, as well as possible walled garden marketing that would no longer let a dev keep 100% of profits. which is, obviously, what the Re store is about. jeez - so this means you have to pick one DAW and hope that it will do everything you need. then instead of VST,AU and RTAS it's Logic,NI,Propellerheads, Izotope, ProTools, etc plus a cut of your profits. and in the case of everything moving to the App Store, huge companies like Adobe and MS will be excluded from having to pay the cuts, leaving everyone else out in the cold or hacking things to get around these Gatekeeper 'conveniences' for Joe User. certainly begins to justify the need to develop an artist-centric OS based on Linux or BeOS... **coyoteous** (2012-08-05): Okay, posting here does work in August. Carry on (or not). **the stimulator** (2012-08-09): I'm with boobs. **Anonymous** (2012-08-10): I'm a music maker and I'm trying to understand all of the implications of this. I think I get the sandboxing thing. Regarding the propellerheads RE store, is it not possible to make a rack extension and sell it outside of the store? Hmm.. I'm gunna assume - NOPE. Or... is it very much like the iphone app store? Are developers forced to sell such things in the manufacturers stores and give up a third? Talk about pimpin'?!!! With all of this sandboxing coming, will DAWs still be able to "work" with one another? For example, will people still be able to run... Oh.. I dunno.. Logic and Reason together? Are RTAS plugins like AU's? Meaning, are they simply wrapped versions of other things (VST's, etc.)?