Why Apple still sells Snow Leopard if it's no more maintained and exhibits security failures ?

You may be able to just create a new partition on the drive and dual boot Snow and whatever else. I am currently dual booting Snow and ML

http://pondini.org/OSX/DU3.html

kahjot wrote:

baltwo wrote:

Not me. I disdain sidebars and prefer static tabs.

For Bookmarks?? Do you maintain hundreds of open tabs?

No. I'm talking about tabs that are fixed in size and not the god awful ones that start out the full width and progressively decrease as you add them. I never use the sidebar for anything.

I use Intego Washingmachine software to regularly purge Safari caches and cookies -- and their malware product - it updates twice a week - so have not had any problems with safari or E-mail using Snow Leopard.

Apple should consider a yearly fee ala the Virus companies where Apple would do security updates and fixes for users who for one reason or another cannot update a device - but can afford the fee to keep software and security fixes coming.

It would be a nice alternative to them trying to sell more hardware and operating systems that require you to buy new releases of software.

lapin2garenne wrote:

In that conditions, why to keep selling Snow Leopard?

I feel angry.

Apple continues to sell Snow Leopard because it is the most recent system that is capable of running older programs made for PowerPC processors (which Apple abandoned long ago in favor of Intel processors). People who have a need to run older legacy PowerPC software simply cannot do so on any more recent system. If you are not using such software, and your computer is capable of running a more recent system, it might be worthwhile to do so... but note that that was not an option to you if you didn't have Snow Leopard, which is required for downloading and installing more recent systems.

As for the security implications of using Snow Leopard... it's true that Snow Leopard appears to have stopped receiving certain updates. However, it's worth noting that most recent Mac malware simply doesn't work on Snow Leopard. For the most part, it only works on newer systems. It's entirely possible that someone might decide to create some new malware to take advantage of known security flaws in Snow Leopard, but that's unlikely to happen in a general manner. There aren't enough Snow Leopard Macs still out there to be worth targeting, unless it was done to specifically target a specific group that is known to be running Snow Leopard.

So, security concerns are probably pretty minimal, but definitely not nonexistent.

notcloudy wrote:

I use Intego Washingmachine software to regularly purge Safari caches and cookies

I do not recommend the use of Washing Machine, or any other "cleaning" app. Macs do not need that kind of "cleaning" - in fact, it's counter-productive.

Purging your Safari caches does nothing but slow Safari down. It does nothing to improve security whatsoever. Clearing cookies also does nothing for your security. See:

The myth of the dirty Mac

The myth of the dangerous cookie

(Fair disclosure: The Safe Mac is my site, and contains a Donate button, so I may receive compensation for providing links to The Safe Mac. Donations are not required.)

Washing Machine makes it easier to see the various caches and the amount of disk space they take up. Have found if there is a problem with a site loading - deleting the cache will clear up the problem. I delete cookies for privacy factor - as This version of Safari does not allow pick and choose what I will allow - and what I don't want.

Washing Machine also shows the APP store caches and software update caches - very helpful if you have a glitch at the wrong time during the install and can't get it restarted. Being able to view it outside of searching folders for what you should delete is a gift to users period.

On Malware protection - even though most is not for Apple - one does interface with Microsoft users and it is considered polite to not be a carrier and pass the malware onto your friends.

As Snow Leopard came out after the economy went crash - your statement that there are not enough Snow Leopard Macs may be bogus. As some people who lost jobs immediately cut expenses by ridding themselves of costlier high speed going to dial up - they may not be aware that you can suspend and restart update downloads so they stopped doing them.

Apple wants to sell more hardware - same as Windows PC's. Microsoft ended support for XP for same reason - unfortunately many people just can't afford that new device.

notcloudy wrote:

your statement that there are not enough Snow Leopard Macs may be bogus.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9249287/OS_X_Snow_Leopard_desertion_rate_ accelerates_after_patches_stop

Just to provide one metric.

I can also say that, on my site, pages served to Safari running in Snow Leopard in the past month were only 2% of the total.

notcloudy wrote:

Washing Machine makes it easier to see the various caches and the amount of disk space they take up.

Okay. That's not really saying anything, though. A magnifying glass makes it easier for me to examine my arm hair. Does that mean that it's helping me stay healthy? No.

Clearing caches is not necessary. I have probably cleared the caches in Safari five times in as many years, and always in response to a specific problem related to a cache issue. (Usually related to bugs with this particular site, to be honest.) If you find that your browser is not working properly without clearing those caches, then you have some other problem. Most likely caused by VirusBarrier, which is one of the most invasive anti-virus apps on the market for the Mac.

As for cookies, it doesn't sound like you read the article on cookies I referred you to, but if you absolutely must control your cookies, there are far less invasive tools for the job.

I stand by what I said... Washing Machine, and other cleaning tools, are snake oil, and at best cover up the symptoms of existing problems without addressing the causes of those problems.

As for passing malware on to Windows users... that's a personal choice everyone must make, and is not relevant to the purview of this topic. I didn't say anything one way or the other about using or not using anti-virus software.

Still on Snow Leopard and just picked up the Itunes update to 11.3(54)

just opened it up works fine - so wondering why Apple can't keep security updates to Snow leopard.

All that says is that Snow Leopard is so stable and intuitive that most people have not had any problems.

Snow Leopard decreased the size of the OS footprint.

By browsing comments on this site can see that users are not happy with the changes made after it etc.

Purpose of the Communities is to offer what works for the user in their setup.

If you choose not to run virus app, and you choose not to use a tool that is your preference.

If you want to keep cookies to every site you ever visited that is also your business.

Apple still offers Snow Leopard as it is required to upgrade an older Mac still running Mac OS X 10.5.8 to Mac OS X 10.6 and then update to 10.6.8 so you can then upgrade via the (Mac) App Store to OS X 10.9.4. Plus, like others have said, it's the last operating system, for compatible Macs, that can still run legacy PowerPC coded applications. Many folks could have multiple volumes with various operating systems for this program or that, or for folks like me who help troubleshoot other users Macs, so a exceptionally wide variety of applications and thus operating systems are required to be available. I just heard from a guy who has 10.5.8 and bought a while ago Snow Leopard and has yet to install it. That's rather behind the times, but I also know someone with a a tower Power Mac G3 running Mac OS 9.2.1 last I heard.