There appears to be a dark pattern occurring where the Tahoe update is selected by default and you need to uncheck it to just install the security update.
Is there a new technological space race between Microsoft and Apple, to see who can engineer more dark patterns into their software, forcing unwanted updates onto its users?
These techniques used to be exclusive to spyware distributors.
"Leon Cowle was brave enough to try this out, and, it turns out, just clicking the 'Update Now' button next to Sequoia will, thankfully, do the right thing: install the Sequoia 15.7.2 update, not Tahoe."
This suggests someone forgot to update the "ⓘ" text. Not a dark pattern.
No, I would certainly say it is. Checking the blog post linked in this thread, I find selecting a different version to be both hidden and also have (intentionally?) bad UX. That is exactly what a dark pattern is: making a surprising choice (major upgrade) the default while hiding away the less disruptive or even non-disruptive choice (minor upgrade).
Nothing stops Apple from advertising both at the same level.
That's ridiculous. Like, not even rising to the level of being worth arguing about. There's an entire book that defines dark pattern, you should probably go read it if you intend to use the phrase.
No, because following major software updates is the right thing for 99% of people, not staying behind on a previous major version with security updates.
You have to think about UX for 99%, not just for HNers who might know what a 15.7.3 is.
> No, because following major software updates is the right thing for 99% of people
Not if we aren’t talking about security updates. In this case the previous version of iOS also has the same security updates so ‘updating’ to a new version is completely up to the user, with no difference in security posture either way. Tricking users into updating for what are in the tech company’s opinion ‘new features’ is by definition a dark pattern.
If there are security updates, then actually staying on the old OS is probably better for 99% of users. Constant change is almost impossible for most people to deal with.
Having a default choice is not itself a dark pattern. Offering a free update to the latest version of the project, and a choice to update a branch release instead, does not constitute a dark pattern.
Maybe this is less of an issue now we’re in the digital era of console games but one of the biggest aspects for me is that if I buy one of these new machines, my existing library is just there. No starting from scratch or worrying about backwards compatibility. It’s a PC that has everything I need from the get go.
The story was the same with the Deck. Granted it took a little while for many games to be fully supported but the transparency from Valve on the store pages about compatibility was great and is in a far better state now.
I just dock my Deck but it was still worth it for the reason you say. Just Works and lets me play my decades-old Steam collection on my TV with the ease of a console.
When I buy a game (even an old one), I always had to choose between Switch and PC. But now PC has most of the advantages of the Switch, and I trust my Steam library will persist and be easily playable more than Switch (although Switch 2 compat was great! to be fair)
Except those OSs would work on any machine. They’d be slow in some cases but would still work. Windows 11 has requirements that either require BIOS tweaks or a whole new MB (or new machine).
Windows 11 can be made to work on machines which do not meet those requirements without much - if any - effort. I installed it on a KVM yesterday, running it in 4 GB of memory with 64 GB of storage (42GB free after install, debloat, upgrade to latest and clearing the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download (might have an 's' after it, don't remember, don't care) directory) on a 2016 HP Spectre with an i5 CPU (2 cores, 4 threads with hyperthreading enabled, 8 GB/256 GB). That is not a powerhouse but it runs no worse than Windows 10. It will probably never be used but that's another story. I installed it on that machine for my 20yo daughter who has gone full Linux and did not see the need for it. I only put it there 'just in case' she needs it for her studies (preparatory year for vet college) and 'cause I can.
There's 2 clear signs here from what I can see: if Linux does just fine for my non-technical 20yo daughter it will do fine for most people. Also, she has never really used Windows, only Linux (at home) and Chromebooks (at school and university) and does not feel the urge to start using it 'cause she does not stand to gain anything from it. Microsoft has lost the battle for the personal computer - or should that be 'for general purpose operating systems' - as far as I can see and any breaking change - like this Windows 11 your-hardware-need-not-apply thing - will cause more people to leave the platform.
That Windows 11 VM will probably be removed in a few months time when it becomes clear she does not need it so why keep it around? Bye bye, Windows, we hardly knew you and she did not know you at all but your time has passed. Let's just hope that the passing of Windows does not also lead to the passing of general purpose computing and the further advance of locked-down computing appliances. There's no love lost for Microsoft from me, having been there when it rose to power using all the dirty tricks in the book and then some but they were a strong factor in the commoditisation of general purpose computer hardware - PCs and servers, laptops and notebooks - for which I will grudgingly give them some respect, also because I got to profit from the flotsam and jetsam caused by the ever-increasing hardware demands by repurposing 'old' hardware which then often outperformed the new and shiny only because I ditched Windows and installed Linux on it.
If I choose not to use a service that costs a fee (such as Netflix), I am not hounded for not paying it. If I chose not to pay a tax, I am hounded with threats of prosecution and fines.
Absolutely this. I’ve only had a single Home Screen since Apple added the App Library. I’ve always had Apollo in the same position. I swapped it out with my grocery app. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve opened that grocery app without thinking.
With the cost of living crisis, this isn't going to help anyone. How does taking more money away from those with un-environmentally friendly cars help them afford to replace them?
What does this money go towards in terms of offsetting the environmental damage done by these cars? How would people feel if the money paid into these schemes went towards money off newer, more environmentally friendly cars?
I believe there was a government scheme for this, but I think it ended earlier this year.
I dont think replacing cars with newer models is the solution. Even EVs are unsustainable to mass produce.
Given our world population, there is no sustainable future where people can privately own cars, period. The sooner we accept it and we start working on alternatives, the Better.
Wow, that's a big one. I'm sorry to hear that. It sounds like you've been through a lot. What was it about your job that burned you out? I'm sure this would be helpful for me to know, as well as others who may be in a similar situation.
I'm in the exact boat as you. The burnout set in so slowly that I didn't realized I was burned out until I stopped working and had the time to look at my life.
That’s what happened to me with my second burnout. The first one hit me like a brick. I’m glad the second one isn’t as bad as the first one mentally. I regret not taking enough rest during my first burnout as I never fully recovered, this time I’m taking things more seriously.
Yes it will improve. Just make sure you give yourself time outside of work. You don't need to do fancy things, sometimes just getting food you never had before, go see a building, simple life is what saved me from burnout. It took me almost a year (after a change of job) to start living again fully and break off my self deprecation and focus issues.
Did you work from home? Because my attention span also dropped significantly during covid. What helped was getting out of the house to get some work done.
