I'm fine with it in the normal bottom configuration. No problems here.
Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion
- Thread starter Timan
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I think the 3D dock is perfectly fine as long as you don't use that dreadful magnification feature. I was really happy when I realized that's off by default now, where in previous OS X versions it was practically the flagship feature of the dock. To the point that windows users (me included, way back when) were dying to have it, and a palethera of software trickled out for xp, replicating that OS X feature.
But yeah, as long as that's off and you don't do ridiculous sizing/stretching with the dock, the 3D version is great.
But yeah, as long as that's off and you don't do ridiculous sizing/stretching with the dock, the 3D version is great.
Hey guys I'm a new OSX user, I bought my first Macbook Pro last week and it came with Lion installed. When Mountain Lion comes out I would like to do a clean install. I'm an expert at doing clean installs on Windows but when it comes to Macintosh I'm going to be lost. When you guys create the Mountain Lion OT, could you include a tutorial on how to do this?
Overreact much?
Looks awesome, and I love how it reflects all on-screen pixels. So cool when you're on the web.
I like the ML style for its even more tactile look and feel.
Bingo. Nothing more retarded than shifting around a click target.
Jobs's reveal of the feature was mindblowing, however.
Sure, no problem. I found this one. It covers Lion but, it should work the same with Mountain Lion. You'l need to create the bootable USB first. If you do a clean install of Mountain Lion, I think you'll lose your iLife apps. Or did Apple start just including a download code for them on the Mac App Store? Can anyone verify that for me? Thanks!
You don't ned to do a "clean install" in OS X. And certainly not when you've only had your system for a short while like that. Trust me.
The main reason people do a clean OS X install sometimes is because they feel like they made a mess of their system with files and folders going everywhere.
My new MacBook Pro retina is supposed to arrive any day and it'll probably come with lion. So I'll get all my applications on there as well as a bunch of files I'm working on and when Mountain Lion comes out, I'm simply installing it. Worked perfectly with the previous versions from leopard onwards that I have tried.
Liu Kang Baking A Pie
Member
Yeah, you guys should stop trying to do what you did with Windows when you purposely got away from Windows.
Mammoth Jones
Member
I'm on day 4 of my Retina MBP and this is the very first time I've really used a Mac. It's so...different than what I'm use to. But I find myself continually impressed with different facets of the OS.
One thing that does concern me that you just touched on was making the OS very cluttered and slow with system files. Is it possible through normal use and program/application installs to make a mess of the OS? I know with Windows after enough time (years) that it's just best to reinstall the OS to clean everything up.
I don't plan to really do anything crazy. Just apps, internet, light photo/video editing, programming/scripts.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
Do you have a backup HDD? Do you use a cloning program? If not, buy a backup HDD and download Carbon Copy Cloner.
Create a full bootable Clone on the drive. Set up a scheduled task to keep it backed up whenever the drive is connected.
When Mountain Lion comes out, you do not have to do a clean install. It's not required. At all. But if you WANT to, it'll be easy as pie...
The installer will run. It will first set itself up and reboot the computer. When you get to the installer, you'll want to use the Disk Utility app in the Tools menu to reformat the drive. Then quit DU and run the installer.
When the install is finished and a fresh copy is installed, you will simply connect your backup clone and use the Migration Assistant (It'll ask you along the way when you get to that point) to bring back everything again. The Assistant will put everything back the way it was.
But then again, you do not HAVE to do this because a normal "Upgrade" install is literally the exact same thing. It replaces the OS with a new one, moves all your files back into place and reboots into a fresh OS. You don't have to reformat at all.
This is OS X. You no longer have to worry. OS X keeps stuff in fewer places and less scattered around the drive than Windows does. Much cleaner.
Keep the clone around anyway and keep it regularly updated.
I really wish this option:
Would place some kind of indicator on the Dock icon that there are windows minimized down there. I'd use it if I could tell at a glance that I have windows minimized. Right now it's still a half-baked feature that's been there for a while now.
Yeah, HyperDock makes it usable, but unfortunately, it's a bit glitchy sometimes.
On Upgrade vs. Clean Install:
When I upgraded to Lion, it slowed down the boot time on all my computers considerably. I've installed Mountain Lion on one computer so far for testing before rolling it out on the rest. The boot time seems much improved, as fast as it was on Snow Leopard.
The only app I've encountered not working for me was Little Snitch. It seems to check what version OS X it's running on and disables itself if it's not an approved version. You can install a DP on their site but it discards all your previous rules and settings and there's no way to import them. :/
Apart from that, everything is going great. First boot took ages and some apps were slow to start as they rebuilt caches and things, but after the second boot, it's butter smooth.
Clean install is for chumps, there's really no reason to do them any more unless your Mac is already bogged down with too much crap from multiple earlier OS installs.
When I upgraded to Lion, it slowed down the boot time on all my computers considerably. I've installed Mountain Lion on one computer so far for testing before rolling it out on the rest. The boot time seems much improved, as fast as it was on Snow Leopard.
The only app I've encountered not working for me was Little Snitch. It seems to check what version OS X it's running on and disables itself if it's not an approved version. You can install a DP on their site but it discards all your previous rules and settings and there's no way to import them. :/
Apart from that, everything is going great. First boot took ages and some apps were slow to start as they rebuilt caches and things, but after the second boot, it's butter smooth.
Clean install is for chumps, there's really no reason to do them any more unless your Mac is already bogged down with too much crap from multiple earlier OS installs.
Bomber Bob
Banned
For me always fresh install
mescalineeyes
Banned
What a waste of time.
Souless_PJ
Banned
There isn't really any point in doing a fresh install I don't think.
I've never noticed any slowdown upgrading each time from leopard.
OSX doesn't need a reimage every 6 months to keep it smooth
SSD 4 life.
I've never noticed any slowdown upgrading each time from leopard.
OSX doesn't need a reimage every 6 months to keep it smooth
SSD 4 life.
I know what you mean. I switched over myself about 4 years ago and even though it seems like a bunch of small changes, it has completely changed how I feel about working on my laptop. I used to hate it in the end before getting a MacBook. Now I don't see myself using anything else.
What I meant about making a mess of the system is not messing up like you could do the registry in windows. But literally making a mess of your files after using the system for a long time. So putting stuff here and there, thinking, I'll organise these later on. And thus feeling like the system has been used more like a garbage bag instead of a file cabinet.
Even then, you're not going to feel any impact on the performance or speed of the system itself, nor on the OS.
So unless you feel your system has become incredibly cluttered with files everywhere, and it would take you more time to manually organise everything, I would just instal Mountain Lion and you'll see it'll work like nothing happened.
Since I sold my old MBPS last week, and I had installed dozens of applications on it over the years that I never ever use, not to mention having lots of folders everywhere from previous websites I made, that I never use anymore, I have decided to manually back up all my files this time and not do a time machine restore.
Instead I'll just copy my current website folder onto my new system for use with dreamweaver along with the psd files I work on and then install Mountain Lion when it's released.
If I hadn't sold my system I would just have installed ML on it, but to seems like a perfect time to do some late spring cleaning.
Bomber Bob
Banned
Feels good.
the only software I use on my mac is xcode and chrome BTW, all other stuff is on the cloud
There is definitely a point in doing a fresh install for me. I've installed my fair share of shit and messed with my system files quite a bit. You wouldn't believe how shitty my MBP is running right now, only 10GB free as well. There's something up since after a while it all systematically locks up, app by app, the entire status bar goes inactive, etc. That's more rare, but you get my point in that it is useful for some people.
NekoFever
Member
I'm tempted to do a fresh install. I'm occasionally in the Library folder and I find preference files for stuff I downloaded and used once back on Jaguar or something. There must be a lot of crud on there, taking up space.
My MBP still feels really fast, though. I'll leave the fresh start for when I've got a couple of days with nothing better to do or when I get a new Mac, whichever comes first.
My MBP still feels really fast, though. I'll leave the fresh start for when I've got a couple of days with nothing better to do or when I get a new Mac, whichever comes first.
What, that just means even less reason to clean install. Oh well, not gonna stop you from wasting your time.
Mr. Wonderful
Member
Not really, in my case. The only times I've ever had issues on my machines or machines that I've upgraded are when I've upgraded rather than done a clean install.
Heck, I just got a bigger SSD last month, did a clean install, but decided to just restore my applications from Time Machine since I would be doing a clean install with Mountain Lion in a month, and I've encountered all kinds of fun problems that I didn't have before with my previously perfect Lion install.
Fun things like this in Safari,
and even a kernel panic once, (which only happened once, so I'm guessing it isn't an actually hardware issue).
The problem is, it's supposed to look like a literal physical shelf, but the angle of it means that no matter what angle you look at it, it looks as though it's sloping towards the screen. It's just a horrible piece of skewed perspective.
Plus the reflection thing is one of the tackiest pieces of design Apple has ever indulged in. Cool if you like it, I guess. I just think it looks awful.
Just rembered something: At least in 10.5 (can't remember how it was in 10.6) it was possible to change the volume via clicking the volume button in the menu bar and then scrolling while the cursor is over the icon (*).
Now in Lion, that doesn't work anymore
, you actually have to hover the cursor above the volume slider for scrolling to work. Has this been changed in ML?
* should work without even clicking if you'd asked me.
Now in Lion, that doesn't work anymore
god I hate Lion. god oh god.
* should work without even clicking if you'd asked me.
Lord Error
Insane For Sony
Sorry if it's been answered, but is there a way to hide the user name from the menu bar in ML? Whoever thought it was a good idea to waste as much space on that, and then not make it possible to remove using the Users preferences, has questionable sanity. Oh, it's bolded too, so it takes some extra space.
No, it hasn't :\ Also, I agree with your suggestion.
You can change the volume by scrolling if you hover over the volume drop down when you click the menu bar item.
CMD drag it off or Login Options in system prefs.
Lord Error
Insane For Sony
Phew. Thanks for that. I really couldn't find anything obvious in Login options to disable it but cmd+dragging works.
*edit* I see it now, "Fast User Switching Menu". I thought that was just something for the login screen.
Isn't that the quick user switch menu?
Lord Error
Insane For Sony
It is. I have one user account on the laptop though, which is probably true for majority of people using a laptop. Even if not, I think it's a bad decision to leave that there by default, and especially bad to present it with a full user name (bolded!) instead of with some small sized icon that opens up to a list of user names.
lunarworks
Member
Lord Error
Insane For Sony
Yep, I disabled it now, and saw all that, just wanted to make a comment that it's a bad default, that's not even too easy to find and change. It defaults to a full name, which people would often put their First and Last name, taking up large amount of menu space. I do like the cube rotation transition thoughHere you go:
(Not mine.)
Bearded Dudebro
Member
Along these same lines, how would you disable the use of the Guest account. I just got my rMBP and updated it to 10.7.4 and now on the login screen I have a Guest Account, that while it doesn't allow login to the system will reboot and allow the system to be used for browsing. I don't want that.
Here you go:
(Not mine.)
You have to click on the Guest account thing in the list, then there's a checkbox there to disable it.
Just select the Guest User on the left, and the very top check box should be labeled something like "Allow guest to log into this computer" Uncheck it, and you are set.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
Next Wednesday thereabouts. The 25th would be my guess. But don't quote me on it. I'm no John Siracuse Walt Mossmanberg or anything.
Bearded Dudebro
Member
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
Guest account could be good for if you keep your account locked and you lose the device. Since the person who finds/steals your machine will probably just log into the Guest since it's open, and try to use the machine, at which point I believe OS X submits its location to Find My Mac.
Otherwise the theif has no option but to reformat it which basically fucks you over unless the serial number ever turns up. So I'd keep it on. And keep auto login off.
Bearded Dudebro
Member
Heh we've all been there
Do try out the search bar in System Preferences, it's really helpful for recent switchers. You can even type in Windows terms (like "wallpaper") and it'll highlight or take you to the Mac equivalent section of preferences ("Desktop & Screen Saver"). Pretty handy imo.
I don't think Find My Mac is enabled by default though, it requires you to login with your iCloud account. And on a guest account everything gets wiped upon logging out, so it's always default settings.
I could be wrong about this, too lazy to check.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
I thought that FMM was one of the main reasons for the Guest account. I dunno. It would be smart for them to include it. At least have it transmit its serial number and location so at least Apple can tell you where it is if you report it stolen.
The guest account was added years ago, long before Find My Mac. It's intended for those times when a friend or relative wants to check their Facebook account or email or whatever, they can do so without having access to all your private stuff. Would love to see the feature come to iOS..
I agree with you though, FMM would be a very nice feature for Guest accounts.
Lord Error
Insane For Sony
OSX is not bulletproof. I've had few really crazy problems with SL or Leopard, can't remember which now. For example, log writing tasks taking up 100% of CPU time and not willing to be killed, which required forum searching and running terminal command lines to stop (only to re-occur again at random times), then deleting those huge hidden log files, stuff like that. None of it may have come from not doing clean installs but they were weird problems nonetheless.
I gave up and installed the Mountain Lion GM yesterday (still going to buy it as I strongly believe it's worth more than the $20 it costs, but I couldn't wait anymore).
I thought I'd be impressed by the new features such as the notification center, but it turns out that's not the biggest difference from Lion. What striked me upgrading from Lion is just how much more responsive my MacBook Pro has become. Everything feels so much faster than before, especially Safari. I knew it was supposed to be faster, but I didn't believe it would be that much.
I was getting ready to replace my mac later this year as I thought it was getting slow, but I think it just added another year to its life. It's like Snow Leopard with the Lion features I couldn't live without (I'm a huge fan of full screen apps + Mission Control swipe between apps)
I thought I'd be impressed by the new features such as the notification center, but it turns out that's not the biggest difference from Lion. What striked me upgrading from Lion is just how much more responsive my MacBook Pro has become. Everything feels so much faster than before, especially Safari. I knew it was supposed to be faster, but I didn't believe it would be that much.
I was getting ready to replace my mac later this year as I thought it was getting slow, but I think it just added another year to its life. It's like Snow Leopard with the Lion features I couldn't live without (I'm a huge fan of full screen apps + Mission Control swipe between apps)
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
Surely it must transmit some kind of information somewhere. Guest mode these days is no longer a full OS rather it reboots into a Safari only web browsing environment.
Anyway, does anyone know how to set iMessage on OS X up to sync with the iMessage on both my iPad and iPhone? I just checked both and their messages are synchronized. The way I like it. But I can't for the life of me get iMessage on OS X to sync up. Instead it starts blank and no messages will come to it. I want my Mac to have the same messages as my iOS devices. I thought that's what iMessage was designed for! When someone sends me a text message, I want it to show up on my iPad, my iPhone and my MacBook Air, and later my Mac mini connected to my TV. Right now it only seems to work for iOS. Is this not implemented completely in the ML GM yet?
Lord Error
Insane For Sony
If you have MBPR, the ML is worth far more than $20 (although you get it for free if you buy one). it makes it into a new computer almost
They really goofed for even shipping that thing with Lion.The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
Tiger? You mean Lion? Tiger was sooo long ago. The last PowerPC only OS X actually.If you have MBPR, the ML is worth far more than $20 (although ou get it for free if you buy one). it makes it into a new computer almost
Lord Error
Insane For Sony
Sorry yes, I'll edit above to avoid further confusion.
The Real Abed
Perma-Junior
Guess they don't call you "Lord Error" for nothing. Amirite? Guys? Guys? My hand is up, ain't anyone gonna high five me?
Anyone?
*sigh* Self five.
But I agree. It was silly to launch it with Lion because of the initial impression of slowness. Thankfully it'll be remedied in about a week or so.
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