One Journey with Apple ends, another journey begins

I do not plan to install macOS 10.14 before it reaches its third update. That should take place in the spring of 2019.

I come to this decision because:

1. My Mac mini won’t run 10.14.
2. I have more important financial needs than a new Mac computer.
3. Some software I depend upon only comes in the 32-bit variety. I don’t know if or when it will receive an update. 10.14 won’t like 32-bit software from what I’ve read.

I plan to devote this column to wringing the most from the system I use now. macOS 10.13 is not dead. Heck, I still have a 2006 white MacBook running OS X 10.6. It still runs.

Will I ever get another Mac? First, I have to pay my car off. Second, I want to see if Apple does start making Macs with Apple designed processors. They have shown a willingness to design and use their own processors and supporting hardware for the iPhone. The latest Mac, the iMac Pro, uses an Apple designed chip to consolidate several functions into one piece of silicon.

I must wait for the events to unfold. Til then, stick with what I own.

I’ll introduce you to software complementing Apple’s Aqua interface. I’ll introduce you to software allowing you to recycle your old college papers you wrote with a forgotten word processor in a now archaic file format and use them with contemporary software.

I’ll introduce you to Linux, specifically Ubuntu Linux and several of its derivatives. Ubuntu Linux works well with macOS. Ubuntu Linux allows you to recycle old PC hardware, even old Mac hardware.

You can “mod” Ubuntu Linux to resemble a wide variety of desktops, including macOS and Windows. You will find a wide variety of desktops you can easily bolt onto an existing installation.

Linux is not the Wild West of ‘80s computing, when every computer used its own processor and operating system and disk file format. I’ll show you the rules for running Linux to get your started. You won’t abandon your Mac, you’ll complement it.

Now let me return to the Mac. My first tip for getting the most from your Mac is: BACK IT UP REGULARLY!

If your Mac sits on a table between sessions and you keep it plugged into a wall socket, get a backup drive!

The rules for backups are simple: For those still running 10.4 or below, use cloning software such as Super-Duper to back it up regularly. Just set it up once a week before you go to bed to run overnight.

If you run 10.5 or above, use Time Machine! Plug in a USB hard drive with more capacity than your internal hard drive. macOS will ask you if you want to set up Time Machine. Let it guide you through the process of setting up regular backups.

Don’t delay! Hard drives are built on the same principles as washing machines. Do you trust your washing machine to always function? Or do you have a back-up plan involving a roll of quarters and a trip to the laundromat? Same logic applies to your hard drives. Have a back-up plan to take care of contingencies.

Tom Briant
Editor, MacValley Blog