app store update page looks strange

(preface - I wrote a book but deleted/edited it. Maybe I’ll post it in its entirety later.)

I really didn’t understand the post since it seems it’s been established the issue is with high Sierra and older Macs. Upgrading to a different macOS is one of the first things to check so I didn’t see the context.

My update button works fine and I’ve stated so before. It should also be known Apple has all its macOS versions available for direct download listed out on a single page without having to find a particular versions own page. That way you can also see if there’s any subsequent follow up downloads or combo-downloads.

Mostly, new users shouldn’t be worried or afraid of doing a simple update/upgrade. The operative word being - “simple” because Apple… really has made the regular process of it simple.

.. that… is a much, MUCH shorter version of my post.

still does not reflect profesionally on apple to leave old, still good macs in the dust by not fixen a simple css issue that lierally takes just 30 seconds to fix on apple's side. As I am one of those users with a 2010 27'' iMac, for which of course High Sierra is the last OS Apple supports on that specific model, I since use that iMac primarily in Target Display Mode* with a new M1 MacBook Air, but still, I need to access stuff on that mac from time to time for say legacy 32 bit software for one.

It would be just a simple matter for apple just to fix this css/ssl issue esp. if app store devs still provide a plethora of software that runs on it. Also, even though High Sierra is comparatively old with say the Big Sur on my M1 mac, it still is quite capable of function and for most users, no less secure than todays OS.

So Apple really need to fix their sh--.

*NB: TDM icw Thunderbolt 3 Macs has been a hot issue as well (on here and elsewhere), which Apple still has failed to address, but suffice it to say if you have an {i}Mac with Thunderbolt you want to use as a target display for another Thunderbolt mac, you can't {in most cases} because of limitations of the DisplayPort and HDMI protocols running over Thunderbolt. Only a small subset of such macs that shipped with Thunderbolt gen 1 and gen 2 might work.

Now IF, and I stress IF, you like me are lucky to still own a pre-Thunderbolt-era Mac with built-in display that either uses Mini DVI or mDisplayPort as is the case with my 2010 iMac, then yes, you can indeed use the screen as a display for other macs, even other computers, as it would present itself just as a vanilla generic DisplayPort monitor with digital audio path (in the case of mDP) to any computer upon activating TDM from the active copy of MacOS on that mac.

So keep that mac arround if you ever switch to a macbook :_)

DaveFlash -

I thought I was going to unsubscribe to this thing. Oh well. I agree with your comment regarding Apple. There was a time you could keep repeatedly buying AppleCare for your Mac. I think that alone goes to show the difference in support then and now for their products. I hate to say this as kind of a scapegoat statement... "but ever since the loss of Steve...." and... we can all "fill in the blank" with our own experience.

Even in a skewed way - your post was actually more relative to the topic than others. But anyway... it was a good reminder of what we can actually STILL do with our... what is referred to as our older macs, EVEN with High Sierra, which is all relative.

Case in point - I still have a fully functioning MacSE, and a color classic mac which I upgraded it to a G4! They're neatly packed in their padded classic cases and haven't been used in years, but I KNOW I could pull them out and connect them both to our network and they'd be able to communicate with other Macs - even with their older OS's.

My former daily work machine seemed that it went down in value quick. A now older Mac (mid-2011) 27" iMac i7 3.4Ghz, 1tb HD with 32gigs RAM. It runs High Sierra, ability to run 32 & 64bit, able to run software of it's time (AND NEW) just fine. 4- USB 2.0 / 1- FW800 / AirPort Extreme / Gigabit Ethernet, and an SDXC card slot. With mine - it has dual Thunderbolt ports, which are backwards compatible with Mini DisplayPort supporting up to a 30" display. Thunderbolt, of course also supports other peripherals providing up to 10 Gbps - both directions. So, I think it's still a formidable adversary, although any resale value price would sadly say different, but I still use it. :-)

We still have several Mac Mini's running as MediaMacs and such, as well as a daily office Mini running Catalina, which by the way... can no longer be upgraded either. DANG. I'll wait a couple of generations to get any Apple 'M' processor. I like new and flashy, but I'm not ditching perfectly good running Macs. ;-)

OH! ... and my little green icon /avatar. Yea... I still have a couple of 2100's and heavily used mine up until about 10 years ago. Sadly now... hibernating in their boxes.

[edit - added Newton 2100]

Yes, I'm having the same issue as "joeMich" described in his "Apr 6, 2021 12:27 AM comments".....I'm reluctant to do any updates with a screen that looks like a hacker's way to access my computer 8 - /

I have a 13" Mid 2012 MacBook Pro that I recently have decided to downgrade due to Photoshop CS5/CS5.5 no longer working on Mojave & newer. According to the forums CS5/CS5.5 was only stable on Sierra but if it helps anyone I have tested it on High Sierra and it works fine. High Sierra is still downloadable in the App Store and it was fairly simple to make a USB installer so I didn't have any issues there. The only funky thing is the app store update page as you guys have mentioned. Aside from it looking corrupt it still functions properly, still can check for updates and still does any updates that are offered. Upon setting up the laptop I received the following updates. iTunes v.12.8.3, Safari v.13.1.2, iTunes Device Support Update (required a restart), Security Update 2020-005 (required a restart), Security Update-004 (required a restart) and lastly Security Update-006 (required a restart). For the Security Updates I had to install them individually before the newer one appeared in the app store. I guess my point is while the page is unsightly it still functions properly so don't let it bother you too much. Besides, I don't believe High Sierra will receive any more updates from Apple so unless apps provide any new updates you won't be on that page too often.

This article titled Apple Has No Written Policy sheds some light on security updates.

Thanks everybody for tips that were interesting and useful,

https://www.howtogeek.com/350901/which-releases-of-macos-are-supported-with-security-updates/

Someone who maintains those Apple update servers messed up… and they probably don't have a backup of the CSS file s/he deleted, nor do they want to bother putting in the hours to go looking for this file that is probably only 80 KB in size to make us all happy.

It's waaaaaaaaaaay down on the priority list.

Basically the updating still works even though the pages look like crud, so they don't care to invest the time.

Maybe now that WWDC is over we can pray this finally makes its way up the ticketing cue.

We hope… but don't hold your breath.

This remains a problem on each of my devices.

It is clearly a Server-side problem as a result of how the App Store is feeding the layout design for this page.

(As noted, other pages in the App Store do display correctly.)

How do we push this up so that Apple will prioritize a fix?? Surely they have the technical expertise to be able to build a basic Responsive web page that will display correctly in their own specialized browser environment (which is what the App Store is.)!

I have this problem as well. It just started showing up.

I now have 10 incompatible updates that usually outnumber the number of updateable application.

I wonder if this is an issue with the quantity of incompatible updates.

I am on Mac Sierra.

If I delete the imcompatible applications on my Mac, I wonder if the text version goes back to the GUI version.

Hello PJ'sPal, please read more answers here; there will be no more updates. Only the 3 latest versions will be updated. Besides, even looking strange, the update page still works (or at least it has).

The days of plenty are over PJ

I have had the same issue with a friend with a Macbook Pro 2017 and now my son has the same issue with his iMac 2013. I also had the same issue with one of my iMacs but it allowed me to upgrade past the 'weird looking page' all the way to Catalina. All have had the strange looking 'app store' page. What may be a concern is that Apple can't do an upgrade to fix the problem as the existing 'app store' won't allow us to move forward. It maybe the case to 'backup, wipe and start again??

It's worse than I thought with Macbook Pro 2017 having issues. It turns out this is a rather "new" issue: with my 2009 Macbook it started some months ago, now it appears to be quickly spreading to rather recent machines. That's a shame if not a crine. So wipe and get rid of Apple time .... As sad as it is it's a fascinating story - will Apple at least publish some facts: I read only the last 3 versions will be supported - with a new version every year or so that would mean future support will last maybe 4 years? Crazy.,.

the weird looking update page still works tho.

Just checked the source code of the now-fixed Updates tab and the CSS links have changed from:

<link charset="utf-8" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="http://r.mzstatic.com/htmlResources/8999/da-storefront-base.css" />

<link charset="utf-8" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="http://r.mzstatic.com/htmlResources/8999/da-storefront-autoinstallations.css" />

to:

<link charset="utf-8" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://s.mzstatic.com/htmlResources/7985/da-storefront-base.css" />

<link charset="utf-8" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://s.mzstatic.com/htmlResources/7985/da-storefront-autoinstallations.css" />

... so our hunches that it was a problem with mixing plain HTTP with HTTPS seem to have been on the right lines.

Ok the page is back in its normal shape even on El Capitan. But that does not mean all is solved. The question is still: when do all updates stop - it would be great if there were some publications by Apple about this. On the good side: my laptop is proof that it is possible to work well on an 11 year old laptop. For now at least. There are articles f.i.in How to Geek about how the last 3 versions will be supported and more. The future is quite uncertain.

To answer you @Harry V: No more Security Updates for us (MBP Early 2011) but AppStore updates will probably work for a while I think. I could be wrong however but I had some Mavericks machines still updating their apps not so long ago…