Vectorworks / MacOS Mojave

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Level 1

8 points

Vectorworks / MacOS Mojave

since migrating from a 2011 apple computer with OS Sierra to a 2017 apple computer with OS Mojave 10.4.3 - the screen flickers when opening Vectorworks. surely a computer from 2017 can run software from 2014? Apple's response was that "it will be the developers responsibility to make sure their apps are updated to ensure that their..." whilst Vectorworks response was they "Unfortunately, if we were to go back and spend Engineering resources updating versions from previous years, that funding would have to come from somewhere, so the price of each software license would go up.", although noting that they are "aware, ArchiCAD, Sketchup etc all have similar compatibility limitations".

surely this is Apple's responsibility to ensure their updated operating system doesn't prevent an application just 3 years older than the hardware to stop working?

Powerbook

Posted on Sep 18, 2019 5:04 AM

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Answer 1

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,374 points

Sep 18, 2019 5:14 AM in response to arkitekt69

No. It is the application developer's responsibility to maintain compatibility with new macOS releases. Apple provides the software development kits and access to advance beta releases of the operating system — purposely so that the product vendors can achieve this goal. Other vendors are doing this, so the vendor behind VectorWorks is making excuses for inattentive product maintenance.

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Answer 2

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,374 points

Sep 18, 2019 5:41 AM in response to VikingOSX

Based on the age of VectorWorks, it likely is caught in the OpenGL quicksand, and migrating it to use Apple's current Metal API could be a formidable, and expensive undertaking.

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Answer 3

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,374 points

Sep 18, 2019 6:12 AM in response to arkitekt69

Because Windows 10 is largely a heavily revised user interface atop 20+ year old code base, it shouldn't have a problem being compatible with older applications. Apple chose not to provide just a pretty interface, and continues to evolve the operating system, and its feature content. That will require developers who choose the Mac (or iOS) platforms to evolve with Apple — while they choose to provide their applications on these platforms.

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Answer 4

arkitekt69 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 18, 2019 6:00 AM in response to arkitekt69

although realising, I could probably partition the hard drive to have OS Sierra for this one application, in order to keep Mojave for everything else. although not ideal...

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Answer 5

dialabrain

Level 10

136,079 points

Sep 18, 2019 5:36 AM in response to arkitekt69

VikingOSX is exactly correct. Plus it makes no sense for Apple to rewrite their OS to accommodate 10's of thousands of apps that are available, or remain frozen in time when there are technological advances to take advantage of, etc.

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Answer 6

dialabrain

Level 10

136,079 points

Sep 18, 2019 6:11 AM in response to arkitekt69

According to the Vectorworks site, Vectorworks 2018, 2019 and 2020 all work with Sierra and above. Vectorworks 2017 and 2016 work with Sierra.

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Answer 7

arkitekt69 Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 18, 2019 5:59 AM in response to VikingOSX

thanks... although it seems such a cop out. would note another comment on Vectorworks forum "That is the difference between Windows and macOS. Windows tries at great pain to keep compatibility to old software, macOS does not."

does seem one or the other should really be responsible, people can't just constantly purchase new software. it would seem to me that apple have some duty of care that their new updates don't mess up applications that are not that old...

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