Catalina: Apple turns macOS into a closed platform; many audio-devs warned from the upgrade

[Markus Krause]

The point is about new restrictions, because they could put developers out of business.

Developers who still have products with 32Bit code in 2019?

No. That's not the point. Today nearly all plugins are an universal binary that contains the 32bit as well as the 64 bit code. The real point is this:

With software notarisation in Catalina macOS is not longer an open platform. Apple now got full control about what software is allowed to run on their system and which not - at least for legit conmmercial software. Now Apple also has full control about the developers - Apple can force us in the future to sell with the app store only. Apple can raise the $99 fee for beeing an Apple dev to $999. They can do anything now because they fully control software distribution now.
The 'security advantage aspect' is only marketing, since it is too easy to bypass for hackers.

[Markus Krause]

For many end users this is a problem:


1) Apple did drop 32 bit support. All 32 bit plugins and every other 32 bit software has stopped working. It is also not longer possible to use a bit-bridge.

and this:

2) Old song projects which use 32 old bit plugins can not longer be loaded.

and this (does not affect my products by the way):

7) Apple tagged OpenGL as 'deprecated' and introduced 'Metal'. A massive number of plugins (espcially those with a resizeable GUI) use it. It is currently unknown when OpenGL will be dropped completely and the plugins will stop to operate.

[Haptix]

..

[Markus Krause]

Since there has been a missunderstanding from several end-users who read this thread which was initially dedicated to devs i updated the first post and splitted it into catergories:
- problems that affect end-users
- problems that affect developers

[Zaphod (giancarlo)]

The point is about new restrictions, because they could put developers out of business.

Developers who still have products with 32Bit code in 2019?

No, it was explained.

[Zaphod (giancarlo)]

Since there has been a missunderstanding from several end-users who read this thread which was initially dedicated to devs i updated the first post and splitted it into catergories:
- problems that affect end-users
- problems that affect developers

Very good

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

Apple loses backing of the audio industry?

[Markus Krause]

edited.

I have talked to several devs in private and know pretty well what's going on behind the scenes. Many devs are very angry and it not economic for them to rewrite large parts of their code.
Please keep in mind that no company will do a statement in the public that they will drop support for Apple, because they will loose sales.

Please also note: I am one of the less-angry devs, because i will do not have to rewrite large parts of my code - at least not this time or when OpenGL support will be dropped.

You can decide for yourself what platform and products you use.
But you have been warned be me and might think back to it when all your plugins that have a zoomable GUI (they use openGL) will stop to work after an macOS update.

[mladi]

edited.

Please keep in mind that not many companies will such do a statement in the public, because they will loose sales. Their customers could assume that they do not longer put much effort in the platform.

Well it also works the other way around. I just picking some stuff from your product range just to support you.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

edited.

Please keep in mind that not many companies will such do a statement in the public, because they will loose sales. Their customers could assume that they do not longer put much effort in the platform.

Which would lead me to assume that you've done some measure of cost/benefit analysis before starting down this path, and decided it still worth it.

[Markus Krause]

I have talked to several devs in private and know pretty well what's going on behind the scenes. Many devs are very angry and it is not economic for them to rewrite large parts of their code.
Please keep in mind that no company will do a statement in the public that they will drop support for Apple, because they will loose sales.

Please also note: I am one of the less-angry devs, because i will do not have to rewrite large parts of my code - at least not this time or when OpenGL support will be dropped.

You can decide for yourself what platform and products you use.
But you have been warned be me and might think back to it when all your plugins that have a zoomable GUI (they use openGL) will stop to work after an macOS update.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

I have talked to several devs in private and know pretty well what's going on behind the scenes. Many devs are very angry and it is not economic for them to rewrite large parts of their code.
Please keep in mind that no company will do a statement in the public that they will drop support for Apple, because they will loose sales.

Please also note: I am one of the less-angry devs, because i will do not have to rewrite large parts of my code - at least not this time or when OpenGL support will be dropped.

You can decide for yourself what platform and products you use.
But you have been warned be me and might think back to it when all your plugins that have a zoomable GUI (they use openGL) will stop to work after an macOS update.

Right. So, developers are complaining behind-the-scenes, but are still working to fall in with the update requirements.
No change will happen, if you keep just falling in line. Some sales will likely need to be lost for you to make the kind of statement that would stand any chance of forcing Apple's hand

[Forgotten]

Really? It's "many" now? and it's worse than everyone thinks "behind the scenes"?

Shit or get off the pot - if you don't like it why not just stop developing for the platform. As el-bo points out - nothing is going to happen if you just whine then get on with making the necessary changes.

[BlueprintInc]

I have talked to several devs in private and know pretty well what's going on behind the scenes. Many devs are very angry and it not economic for them to rewrite large parts of their code.
Please keep in mind that no company will do a statement in the public that they will drop support for Apple, because they will loose sales.

Yes, I can back this up. Unfortunately preparation for the very very vocal minority of ranting users is also part of it.

[Urs]

Apple also can raise the $99 fee they have to pay per year to $999 or any other price they like.

To be fair, even if they tenfold the $99, it would still be cheaper than Windows development:

Apple: 0$ (development environment) + 99$/year (Apple dev membership, includes all certificates)
Microsoft: 45$/month/seat (development environment, I think we have 5 seats including build servers) + 500$/year certificate to sign installers