I just tried to install Catalina on an external drive and run all my installed apps and plugins.
50% of my apps are not supported because of 32bits, and half of them are not available in 64 bit by a third party yet and might never be. The same with plugins.
Why Catalina created 2 identical external clone drives BackUp HD-Data and BackUp HD? Showing the same info.
Thanks.
iMac 27", macOS 10.13
I think Apple will be changing Architecture soon to A series chips instead of Intel, I wouldn't spend too much if my nose is telling me what I think it is.
This might save some bucks...
Look into the Free LibreOffice, it handles MS Office files…
Apple macOS (Mac OS X)
The software and hardware prerequisites for installing on a Apple macOS computer are as follows:
It is a recommended best practice to back-up your system and data before you remove or install software.
Notes:
https://www.libreoffice.org/get-help/system-requirements/#Apple
Feature Comparison of LibreOffice v6.4 with Office 365/Office 2019 for Mac
https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Feature_Comparison:_LibreOffice_-_Microsoft_Office
Most likely because it is a pain to maintain the 32-bit APIs (applications programming interfaces) and the 64-bit APIs, especially when you have to make sure you are patching security holes, and making sure the kernel side does the right then when getting a 32-bit address. (I've had to do this in other operating systems, it is a lot of work).
And it is not just the 32-bit kernel APIs, it is all the 32-bit frameworks, which are very extensive.
Apple is maintaining macOS, iOS, watchOS, tvOS, whatever the HomePod OS is called. All of which are similar, but different.
There are a lot of lines of code to maintain (like millions), and simplifying the effort just improves the development process all around.
Yes it is a pain when Apple makes this kind of switch, just like when they switched from 68000 Motorola CPUs to PowerPC, and then to intel CPUs. After the switch there was a transition period, but eventually the old apps stopped being supported. The same is true for 32-bit apps, there was about a 10 year overlap, that is not a trivial period of dual support.
I always had a wish that Apple would support many 3rd party companies financially to update their software apps to the latest OS.
Apple would end up being a winner, because I would be the first one in getting a new Mac, since all the apps would be up to date and free!. If I decide to finally switch to Catalina, I would need a big budget to update all apps and plugs, and they are not cheap, and many are subscription only. Someone has to pay their programmers for developing their apps to run on the latest OS
I think all the billionaires in the world should club together to buy me a house on the shores of Lake Geneva, make sure the driveway is filled with exotic sports cars and that I enjoy first class travel on any airline I wish to fly on.
Then everything would be peachy.
Sadly Apple are not your altruistic buddy, they are a hard business.
Apple changed their macs to 64bit architecture over 10 years ago, third party developers were made aware of the situation and that 32bit app support would be dropped in the future. For the past two years Apple have been reinforcing that message
to its customers and app developers. So as you can see the developers have paid little attention or are displaying little intention of updating their 32bit apps to 64bit, you will just need to find alternatives or stay on the OS you have now.
Thanks Mr. Eau Rouge you have a point.
On the other hand, I am sure billionaires would invest in you, if they would ROI. That's what I meant to say in my message, didn't I mention that Apple would sell more computers as a result their apps. People and companies were switching from Windows to Apple because there were more and more 3rd party applications available for Apple.
"The developers have paid little attention or are displaying little intention of updating their 32bit apps to 64bit"... many did, but unfortunately they did not have enough budget to follow the new Apple structures and therefore they simply closed up. Pulp Motion, Particle Illusion, Digital Juice 3, these are just a few.
Thanks again for your response.
Thanks, BDAqua, you have been a great support and I am sure you helped others as well.
Now, since the 64-bit, Catalina I need to get ready to spend some big budget (5 digit, at least) for new apps and plugs plus a new Mac. And I hope that this year or a year after there will not be 128-bit OS. :o)
Cheers!
Supposedly makes it more secure, easier to program for, many other "features".
In the Cat one of them is as Read Only System Partition, supposedly for security.
I'm not going to report the spiel they give for dropping 32 bit support because I don't believe it. :(
Because the Catalina architecture is 64 bit only.
BDAqua, can you explain the frase: "I'm not going to report the spiel they give for dropping 32 bit support because I don't believe it. :("
You mean the reason they gave...?
Thanks.
Never heard about Libreoffice, I am still on Microsoft Office 2011. Does Libreoffice support 32-bit, High Sierra? Interesting to look into.
Yes it runs in 10.6 upto 10.15, no problem in High Sierra which runs 32 bit or 64 but SW as OSX did allthe way back in 10.6 ... lets see Apple or MS do that!
Why Catalina will not support 32-bit apps, like Mojave did?
