Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and Gatekeeper

[AdmiralQuality]

Is it likely one can use the latest package maker without having to update the whole build environment to XCode 4 if all that is needed is a signed installer?

From all the info I had I can say it seems so. It could be very good news for us plug-ins developers because we won't be forced to do code migrations.

Unlesss of course you want to sign the plug-in file, which personally I don't see it a requirement. Most are serial protected and I don't think Apple will validate a 3rd party keygen, right?

https://developer.apple.com/library/mac ... 29-CH3-SW3

Code Requirements

It is up to the system or program that is launching or loading signed code to decide whether to verify the signature and, if it does, to determine how to evaluate the results of that verification. The criteria used to evaluate a code signature are called code requirements. The signer can specify requirements when signing the code; such requirements are referred to as internal requirements. A verifier can read any internal requirements before deciding how to treat signed code. However, it is up to the verifier to decide what requirements to use. For example, Safari could require a plug-in to be signed by Apple in order to be loaded, regardless of whether that plug-in's signature included internal requirements.

That's could actually be good news if the host developers decide to ignore plug-in signing. But there's no guarantee they will. Particularly Logic which I'm sure will embrace the planned obsolescence make-them-buy-it-all-again philosophy of the mother corp. As if they don't make enough money already. I don't know how they live with themselves.

Meanwhile, in Windows land, executable code dating back to 1995 still runs just fine on every subsequent version of the OS.

[AdmiralQuality]

I didn't get what happened to your girlfriends Dell, but it seems to me that you are highly biased. I bought an Asus laptop for my daughter a couple of months ago, and I never had to phone anyone, or even go to ANY website, to have anything work.

That's what I was saying. There's ASUS, and then there's Dell.

Even worse than Dell... HP! I used to have to use them in a job and even though we were partnering with HP Canada, and they couldn't for the life of them get me a laptop that actually worked. I must have gone through every new model they had for 2 years straight, rejecting them all one after another.

This was nearly a decade ago, but I'll never forget it and I'd NEVER buy another product of any kind from them.

With Dell, the hardware is probably OK, but I'm not surprised software installation and configuration is a clusterfuck. They've been collapsing for a long time now.

[fmr]

I didn't get what happened to your girlfriends Dell, but it seems to me that you are highly biased. I bought an Asus laptop for my daughter a couple of months ago, and I never had to phone anyone, or even go to ANY website, to have anything work.

That's what I was saying. There's ASUS, and then there's Dell.

Even worse than Dell... HP! I used to have to use them in a job and even though we were partnering with HP Canada, and they couldn't for the life of them get me a laptop that actually worked. I must have gone through every new model they had for 2 years straight, rejecting them all one after another.

This was nearly a decade ago, but I'll never forget it and I'd NEVER buy another product of any kind from them.

With Dell, the hardware is probably OK, but I'm not surprised software installation and configuration is a clusterfuck. They've been collapsing for a long time now.

If the hardware is OK, then it's simple - just insert a Windows DVD, format the HD and make a clean install of the original OS. Furtunately, we can do that on ANY windows machine, they don't come tied to the mother company OS. Actually, I am with you rergarding HP. I had two laptops where the graphics chip just blew away. One was a high end model I bought for me two and a half years ago, and another was one I bought to another daughter.
After researching, I read it was a faulty chip by Nvidia. From then on, I swear not to buy anything else from HP, or associates. From now on, it's either Asus or Toshiba, or one of the new labels coming to the market (like Lenovo, for example)

[AdmiralQuality]

If the hardware is OK, then it's simple - just insert a Windows DVD, format the HD and make a clean install of the original OS.

A lot of Windows machines don't come with a copy of Windows anymore. Often they'll have some kind of hidden partition with their own installer on it.

Furtunately, we can do that on ANY windows machine, they don't come tied to the mother company OS.

As long as you have a copy of Windows, and all the drivers for the hardware on the laptop, yes. And yes, OS X keeps abandoning older platforms, forcing the customers to upgrade hardware, to run the lastest software, that needs the latest OS, that breaks all your old software requiring updates, in an endless cycle.

Actually, I am with you rergarding HP. I had two laptops where the graphics chip just blew away. One was a high end model I bought for me two and a half years ago, and another was one I bought to another daughter.
After researching, I read it was a faulty chip by Nvidia. From then on, I swear not to buy anything else from HP, or associates. From now on, it's either Asus or Toshiba, or one of the new labels coming to the market (like Lenovo, for example)

They have a sick corporate culture. The stories I could tell if I wasn't technically still under NDA. But that their machines are pieces of crap is no secret.

[EvilDragon]

So nobody liking Toshiba? Those are some fine laptops. This one I'm typing from right now has THE BEST keyboard I have ever typed on (yes, better even than that on MBP, but that one comes in second), and it runs very cool even after longer heavy loads (never had it go above 45°C or so, which is pretty cool if you ask me).

[fmr]

So nobody liking Toshiba? Those are some fine laptops. This one I'm typing from right now has THE BEST keyboard I have ever typed on (yes, better even than that on MBP, but that one comes in second), and it runs very cool even after longer heavy loads (never had it go above 45°C or so, which is pretty cool if you ask me).

They're fine, from my experience, though Asus ones have a better price/performance ratio, IMO

[AdmiralQuality]

So nobody liking Toshiba? Those are some fine laptops. This one I'm typing from right now has THE BEST keyboard I have ever typed on (yes, better even than that on MBP, but that one comes in second), and it runs very cool even after longer heavy loads (never had it go above 45°C or so, which is pretty cool if you ask me).

Never owned one but I've heard good things and their prices are decent. Reason I never got one was there were always higher spec'ed machines from other manufacturers, and I tend to go for maximum performance available to hold off the buyer's regret for as long as possible.

These days though it's not so much an issue. Even average machines have zippy fast CPUs and RAM. Now it's stuff like graphics and SSDs that differentiate the high performance machines.

I'd like a laptop with no moving parts, so I can park it right next to a microphone. The 11" MacBook Air I've been using lately is almost there, though it does have a tiny cooling fan inside. But I've never had it come on while DAW-ing, only when doing graphics intensive stuff like Flash, 3D and watching videos. So it's effectively silent for music purposes.

And now that Solid State Drives have faster sustained read and write speeds than hard drives (and ludicrous-fast access times) there's no looking back. I hope to never buy a hard disk again. Their only remaining advantage over SSDs is cost, and I expect that's only going to be true for another year or so. The hard disk is dead! Good riddance!

[george]

Code Requirements

It is up to the system or program that is launching or loading signed code to decide whether to verify the signature and, if it does, to determine how to evaluate the results of that verification. The criteria used to evaluate a code signature are called code requirements. The signer can specify requirements when signing the code; such requirements are referred to as internal requirements. A verifier can read any internal requirements before deciding how to treat signed code. However, it is up to the verifier to decide what requirements to use. For example, Safari could require a plug-in to be signed by Apple in order to be loaded, regardless of whether that plug-in's signature included internal requirements.

That's could actually be good news if the host developers decide to ignore plug-in signing. But there's no guarantee they will. Particularly Logic which I'm sure will embrace the planned obsolescence make-them-buy-it-all-again philosophy of the mother corp. As if they don't make enough money already. I don't know how they live with themselves.

As far as I know GarageBand does not require plug-ins to be signed under 10.8, and I suspect Logic won't either. This is a very good thing because people, like Urs from U-he, have not even migrated to Xcode 4. So right now we need to pay Apple their 99 dollar, then sign a PKG installer or DMG and be done with it.

Right now plug-in code signing is not a requirement for 10.8, however, since most need to distribute it using DMG or a PackageMaker generated PKG setup, you will be forced to get a Developer ID to sign those. There could be workarounds like using a zip plus a readme file, perhaps AppleScript, etc. which is of course not recommended because adds complexity for the end user.

I don't like Apple not allowing audio developers to sell AU plug-in at Mac App Store, so I will be very happy if they leave the code signing not required for our Audio Units, because updating all the product lineup needs a lot of time. It's also a good thing to know that plenty of musician setups usually run 10.6.

[DaveHoskins]

So how does this work for previous versions of OSX? I'm told I'll have to drop 10.5, but will I need two separate packages for the new OS and older ones?

Dave.

[AdmiralQuality]

So how does this work for previous versions of OSX? I'm told I'll have to drop 10.5, but will I need two separate packages for the new OS and older ones?

Dave.

I'm just guessing but I assume the signature is just another resource in the bundle and will simply be ignored by earlier OS versions.

[DaveHoskins]

We'll see, I suppose, this whole thing is putting me off Apple, for the moment at least - and I already have a membership number!
I bet the accountants wanted a pop-up telling the user their OS is a year out of date, and they must buy a new one with 'click here to purchase' in big friendly letters all over the screen - probably.

[AdmiralQuality]

We'll see, I suppose, this whole thing is putting me off Apple, for the moment at least - and I already have a membership number!
I bet the accountants wanted a pop-up telling the user their OS is a year out of date, and they must buy a new one with 'click here to purchase' in big friendly letters all over the screen - probably.

I've been trying to support Apple folk for a few years now and the culture shock still hasn't worn off.

Though I must admit, I'm falling in love with this little 11" MacBook Air. Solid state drive. No moving parts! (At least as long as you don't do heavy graphics which causes the tiny cooling fan to come on and hiss quietly.) Great for recording close to the microphones.

And when OSX gets too crazy, there's a nice familiar Unix underneath. I was pulling my hair out the other day, in a hurry, trying to find where the FTP client was hidden. Then I remembered... Oh yeah, command line! Hello old friend!

[Borogove]

it seems to me that you are highly biased. I bought an Asus laptop for my daughter a couple of months ago, and I never had to phone anyone, or even go to ANY website, to have anything work. Actually, it was just open it and follow the instructions.
Windows 7 is a great OS, and things are working fine. Are you sure you didn't just screwed up the installation, and, as usually, are blaming the company and/or the OS for your fault?

These were customer service problems in the ordering process, before the machine even shipped. I was a Windows user and developer for nearly 20 years before switching to Mac. So your condescension is not appreciated.

[Borogove]

Sure, Lexus makes nice cars, but an IS 350 is way overpriced compared to a Hyundai Genesis Coupe. 300 horsepower is 300 horsepower, right?

[AdmiralQuality]

Are you the Gatekeeper?