from one user to another, is mac os x lion worth it?

I think it’s a new api that you have to code around. Max6 doesn’t have the auto save (or full screen) nor does Logic 9.1.5 (not updated to 9.1.6 yet).

I can’t comment on ableton/live as I don’t have it.

To join the convergence of other Manchester, users I thought I’d drop in:

I nearly upgraded recently to get into iCloud, as iOS devices will only sync with each other or Lion, which is irritating. First issue I’d raise: check compatibility. Logic 8 doesn’t work on Lion and I don’t fancy paying for an upgrade. After all it works just how I want it to, I’m not paying to potentially stop that. Additionally, you’ve got no Rosetta, which shouldn’t be a problem (I’ve still got a G5 kicking about) but for the times I want to run those apps I really don’t to have to plug in a whole extra computer.

Features wise? Full screen apps don’t appeal to me personally, neither does auto saving feel like something I’d ever really use. Launchpad doesn’t really seem like something I’d use that often over Spotlight but, like the rest of my views, it’s down to personal taste (I know people that hate Spotlight too).

Ask yourself, above everything else, do you need to upgrade yet if what you have works for you?

Complete opposite experience to Oli. I purchased a new iMac as my main studio machine recently, specified a Snow Leopard machine but much to my dismay it was delivered a Lion one. My supplier agreed to swap the machine if I had problems but seeing as I didn’t want any further delay on number of projects I had to finish, I decided to stick with the Lion machine and rebuild my DAW from the ground up (I would usually make a clone of my previous machine and then update the operating system).

The only problems I had were that a couple of my plugins wouldn’t install because the installers required Rosetta to work (things like Altiverb) but even those have since been remedied by updates.

As with most Apple operating system upgrades it’s the little things that creep up on you that make you appreciate the upgrade. Now when I use my laptop, which is still using 10.6.8 I’m constantly missing those little tweaks that I’ve become accustomed to in Lion.

Most importantly, Core Audio & Midi has never been so problem free (although I put that down to the number of system hacks I’ve had running on previous machines!).

The biggest warning area for installing Lion is that current installer of Soundflower doesn’t work and if you do install it, the process of trying to uninstall it can really screw with Core Audio. I followed the instructions as detailed by the Cybero @ http://kineme.net/forum/General/soundflowerforlion#comment-21568 and have both 2 & 16 channel versions of Soundflower working perfectly on Lion with zero distortion or timing issues. Soundflower is pretty essential to my workflow and I would have downgraded to 10.6.8 if I hadn’t been able to get it to work.

JM
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Yeah rosetta is gone, but other than a few apps here or there I’m not missing it at all.

I made a conscious decision a while back that I would always try to adapt to programs/updates/technology rather than keeping a stable workflow. It’s a bit problematic around updates and such, but it means I can use any computer/setup, rather than needing the right OS version, right app version, my custom hotkeys, etc….
Shit will keep changing, so you’ll eventually have to update the way you work anyways.

At the same time, I haven’t been using a laptop live or in critical situations, so perhaps I’d be singing a different tune if Lion crashed while I was on stage…..