Re: [Boost-users] [Context] Mac OS X support?

Subject: Re: [Boost-users] [Context] Mac OS X support?
From: Rush Manbert (rush_at_[hidden])
Date: 2011-03-10 12:20:50

On Mar 10, 2011, at 8:54 AM, Michael Jackson wrote:

> On 3/10/11 11:44 AM, in article
> AANLkTinnD32N=EqjKtrj3QmEFhOuVhPSR_zaqVHJ0PB1_at_[hidden], "Nat Linden"
> wrote:
> 
>> On Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 8:46 PM, Julian Gonggrijp <j.gonggrijp_at_[hidden]>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Nat Linden wrote:
>> 
>>>> However, at this moment in history, one must ask how important it
>>>> still is to support Mac OS X <= 10.4?
>>> 
>>> I'm completely ignorant about today's marketshare of Mac OS X 10.4, but I
>>> can tell you I'd rather like to see it supported for a while. Personally,
>>> I own an i686 machine with Mac OS X 10.6 and a PPC machine with Mac OS X
>>> 10.4.
>>> The latter is quite old and won't be able to pull anything more modern than
>>> 10.4. Therefore my only option for PPC testing is under Mac OS X 10.4.
>> 
>> Mmm, I have no hard data either (anyone?) -- but it seems to me that
>> the importance of testing on OS X 10.4 depends not only on how many
>> such machines are still in use, but on how many of those machines the
>> owners are still installing new software.
>> 
>> Their reluctance to upgrade the OS might suggest a corresponding lack
>> of enthusiasm about buying/upgrading other applications.
>> 
>> Not trying to incite a flame war; I'm honestly interested in the
>> answer, willing to be convinced that OS X 10.4 is in fact an important
>> target platform for the forthcoming Boost.Context. At the moment,
>> though, I'm inclined to doubt it.
> 
> I am an avid "Mac Guy" but even I would really think twice about trying to
> support OS X 10.4.11. For one thing those who develop will need testing
> machines which are not really easy to come by in working order. Then you
> have to make sure that all the boost-build infrastructure works on 10.4. I
> would say 10.5 is the farthest back you should probably go. Again, no hard
> numbers but those hanging onto their 10.4 machines are in places that either
> they can't upgrade them (institutions) or refuse to for what ever reason.
> 

I would like to advocate in favor of continued support for OS X 10.4. We use the boost libraries to develop tools that our customers use to develop products for end users. We develop for both Mac and Windows, and we have hundreds of thousands of end users who use Macs. Our customers tell us that continued 10.4 support is still required. As with others, I have no hard numbers, but I know what our customers tell us they need.

- Rush