Thoughts on Lion now?

[FearoftheNight]

What are your thoughts on Lion now? After a few months after it's been out is it a worthy upgrade over SL?

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

10.7.1 seemed to fix a lot of the problems that people were having with it.

 

[FearoftheNight]

so overall worthy sucessor to SL? ay or nay?

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

For me? Yeah, I think it's a worthy successor to SL. The only issue that may pop up is the lack of PPC application support. Other than that, it's just learning all the gestures.

I would also do a clean install if possible.

 

[Red Storm]

Expose still doesn't show minimized apps. Well, it does the first time you do it, but then they're gone. There are a few annoying bugs with full screen apps, like if you have multiple displays running, setting an app to full screen makes all of your screens go dark, which defeats the whole purpose of multi-monitor. Also not a big fan of Mission Control. I would like it as an addition, but they changed existing features (in this case, Spaces) that were already working quite well.

 

[Kadarin]

Well, really the only majorly noticeable thing for me has been the reversal of the scroll direction. Once I got used to that, I find I prefer it to the old way.

 

[Red Storm]

Well, really the only majorly noticeable thing for me has been the reversal of the scroll direction. Once I got used to that, I find I prefer it to the old way.

You can change that back to the original way in the system preferences.

 

[Ns1]

Expose still doesn't show minimized apps. Well, it does the first time you do it, but then they're gone. There are a few annoying bugs with full screen apps, like if you have multiple displays running, setting an app to full screen makes all of your screens go dark, which defeats the whole purpose of multi-monitor. Also not a big fan of Mission Control. I would like it as an addition, but they changed existing features (in this case, Spaces) that were already working quite well.

I use spaces daily and I'm not sure I can handle such a change

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Too many people I know who (like me) are curmudgeonly bastards that like doing things the old fashioned way (I still use Windows Classic Interface because I think Win2k perfected it, and don't you tell me otherwise!) have been having trouble making Lion do it their way.

Apparently some of the training wheels features like auto-save can't be turned off. There are workarounds, but they require workflow changes, and when you've been doing it THIS WAY for 20 years, THAT WAY is hard.

So I'll probably hold off. My Macbook is happy with 10.6.8.

In a couple years, I'll probably have to replace my Macbook, in which case I'll probably end up with 10.8.2 or something.

 

[sourceninja]

i like mission control and the improved gesture support. Other then that there is really no difference to how I use my computer. Full screen terminal is nice though.

 

[HeXen]

Too many people I know who (like me) are curmudgeonly bastards that like doing things the old fashioned way (I still use Windows Classic Interface because I think Win2k perfected it, and don't you tell me otherwise!) have been having trouble making Lion do it their way.

Apparently some of the training wheels features like auto-save can't be turned off. There are workarounds, but they require workflow changes, and when you've been doing it THIS WAY for 20 years, THAT WAY is hard.

So I'll probably hold off. My Macbook is happy with 10.6.8.

In a couple years, I'll probably have to replace my Macbook, in which case I'll probably end up with 10.8.2 or something.

habits are hard to break. i think thats partly why Linux never took off with window users.

 

[GrantMeThePower]

I still feel very apprehensive about switching on my iMac....and I don't really know why.

I guess i'm concerned that photoshop and lightroom won't work well or that i'll have general system issues of some sort and the computer is running really well right now...

 

[Ka0t1x]

Expose still doesn't show minimized apps. Well, it does the first time you do it, but then they're gone. There are a few annoying bugs with full screen apps, like if you have multiple displays running, setting an app to full screen makes all of your screens go dark, which defeats the whole purpose of multi-monitor. Also not a big fan of Mission Control. I would like it as an addition, but they changed existing features (in this case, Spaces) that were already working quite well.

That's pretty much it right there, for me.

I still have no REASON to update to Lion ... yet.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Apparently some of the training wheels features like auto-save can't be turned off. There are workarounds, but they require workflow changes, and when you've been doing it THIS WAY for 20 years, THAT WAY is hard.

Yeah, it's hard to change habits, but when things like Auto-Save make things a lot easier you don't have to worry about having to save.

 

[MotionMan]

I still feel very apprehensive about switching on my iMac....and I don't really know why.

This is me exactly. I even have a credit in the Store just for Lion, but have not pulled the trigger.

I think part of it is that I am OCD about my computers and I would have four to upgrade, including my work laptop, which has a lot of special settings. I would want to do a fresh install, and that just seems like so much work.

I am actually happy that the Macs I got for my parents (2), mother-in-law and uncle cannot take Lion (not new enough Intels). LOL.

Sometimes being a perfectionist causes procrastination.

MotionMan

 

[Patranus]

Getting use to it.
Still miss spaces.

Seams to run like shit unless you do a fresh install.

Really like the new mail. Hate the new iCal theme.

 

[KeithP]

First let me say I haven't been using Lion that much yet. I don't have it on my main machine. These are just my early (and very general) thoughts and as such are subject to change.

From a features stand point, there is nothing I find particularly compelling. In the same way that a lot people try to hold on to old habits, I think there is another type of user that automatically embraces change from Apple, accepts it as better and the way things should be, and then writes off any problems as just something they need to accept until Apple provides a fix.

Lion is just another piece of the puzzle as Apple continues to develop its "gated community" concept of computing. I don't mean that to sound negative. It certainly has advantages and many people are flocking to it. More power to them.

I will switch to Lion when I have no choice. For instance, when I buy a new Mac or another piece of software that requires it for some reason.

It sounds bit cliche, but for me, Lion seems like Apple's "jump the shark" moment.

-KeithP

 

[secretanchitman]

That's pretty much it right there, for me.

I still have no REASON to update to Lion ... yet.

same here, except i will probably never upgrade to lion at all. expose is THE biggest reason i will not upgrade. also, i always switch back everything to the way it was in snow leopard (classic mail, classic finder, putting the color back, original scrolling, etc) in lion, so whats the point in using it?

 

[runawayprisoner]

After going to 10.7, then briefly back to 10.6.8, then again back to 10.7.1, I can say that Lion is getting better.

Also it's hard to go back to Snow Leopard now that I have assimilated myself to Mission Control and new multitouch gestures. I'm not particularly fond of fullscreen apps, or Launchpad, but the other features make Lion more workable for me. Going back to Expose and Spaces just feels... counter-productive.

 

[disports]

I got used to all the new gestures and reverse scrolling. I hate how the x on tabs in safari disappears sometimes and the full screen is hit or miss. Never really used expose or spaces prior to Lion and I don't really use them now. Not sure if battery life is worse on Lion or not.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I'm OK with it but for the most part preferred SL. The one positive change that I really care about is that it works and plays much better with WMV files than it used to.

 

[sportage]

I suffered from the Lion wi-fi dropping issue SEVERELY!!!! And that Lion patch update DID NOT fix the issue. If anything, it became much worse!
I got sooooooooooooooo tired of being in the middle of something, paying bills online, posting on forums, researching something and suddenly that "PAGE CAN NOT BE DISPLAYED" or "CONNECTION LOST" coming up and then noticing that the Wi-Fi had dropped.
This happened ALL THE TIME...!!!
So... I finally reverted BACK to Snow Leopard and have NOT had ONE SINGLE WI-FI DROPPING issue since. NOT ONE!!!!
There were so many suggestions on fixing the wifi Lion issue, tons of hoops to jump thru, and still nothing worked.

What worked to fix the Wi-Fi issue?
Reverting BACK to Snow Leopard! That worked...!

I’m a happy camper once again, as well as is my iMac.
So I would NOT in any way, no how, recommend doing Lion.
Snow Leopard is so much more user friendly.
Oh... and it really pissed me off how Lion hid so many of your system files and various other files. Treating me like I was some 10 year old little kid.
And I discovered a Lion fluke, where Lion "randomly" hid files that should not be hidden.
Especially random media files like some MP3 and MP4. Not much discussion on that. But an obvious Lion flaw.
If something works and works well, if something is not broken, then DON'T FIX IT.
Buyer beware... big time!!!!!

 

[Zaap]

I'm really liking it.

I haven't noticed any affect on my productivity one way or the other. (Well, okay one, but it's minor: the lack of PPC code made me boot back into my Snow Leopard partitions a few times to access some older PPC apps/processes- but nothing I can't live without or just replace with updated stuff.)

It does seem for me slightly speedier than Snow Leopard. No problems running any apps I've needed- FCP 7, Adobe CS5, Office 2011, SketchBook Pro, Painter 12, etc. etc.

Using a multi-monitor display and full-screen app behavior can be odd, but then, I don't really need or use full-screen apps all that much so that's been moot.

I did end up switching the mouse scrolling back to the old way. I didn't mind it at all and even got used to it, but because I use so many different computers all the time, it got confusing. Until every computer/mouse I use functions the same way, best to standardize on the old way.

I love the multi-desktops- I use that feature all the time. Having different backgrounds really ties it together for me. I wish they'd go even farther,and let you have a different arrangement of desktop icons on every desktop set. I would love having a desktop that I can leave messy with icons and files strewn everywhere when I'm working, but then switch over to a clean desktop for when I'm done and don't want to see the mess any more.

I don't mind Mission Control. Can't say as it's been either all that helpful or all that much in the way, it's just there and occasionally I use it for an overview of what's going on system-wide.

Playing around with Windows 8 just made me realize once again how good Apple is at designing user-interfaces. Using something with truly awful ideas in it (the Metro UI and apps thus far) makes one really appreciate things that really are well thought out. Even when Apple makes a mistake, it pales in comparison to the shortcomings of Microsoft when they get a stupid idea lodged in their collective brains.

 

[Bateluer]

I suffered from the Lion wi-fi dropping issue SEVERELY!!!! And that Lion patch update DID NOT fix the issue. If anything, it became much worse!
I got sooooooooooooooo tired of being in the middle of something, paying bills online, posting on forums, researching something and suddenly that "PAGE CAN NOT BE DISPLAYED" or "CONNECTION LOST" coming up and then noticing that the Wi-Fi had dropped.
This happened ALL THE TIME...!!!
So... I finally reverted BACK to Snow Leopard and have NOT had ONE SINGLE WI-FI DROPPING issue since. NOT ONE!!!!
There were so many suggestions on fixing the wifi Lion issue, tons of hoops to jump thru, and still nothing worked.

What worked to fix the Wi-Fi issue?
Reverting BACK to Snow Leopard! That worked...!

I’m a happy camper once again, as well as is my iMac.
So I would NOT in any way, no how, recommend doing Lion.
Snow Leopard is so much more user friendly.
Oh... and it really pissed me off how Lion hid so many of your system files and various other files. Treating me like I was some 10 year old little kid.
And I discovered a Lion fluke, where Lion "randomly" hid files that should not be hidden.
Especially random media files like some MP3 and MP4. Not much discussion on that. But an obvious Lion flaw.
If something works and works well, if something is not broken, then DON'T FIX IT.
Buyer beware... big time!!!!!

I updated to 10.7.1 the day I brought my 2011 MBA home, haven't experienced the WiFi issue. Good, because the MBA doesn't have a wired NIC.

AFAIK, I think there was an EFI update that was released earlier today, for some models. Think I recall reading something about WiFi and SATA in the notes for it?

 

[silverpig]

I like the bigger number in lion, but much prefer how snow leopard worked.