When you need reliable, what Max version and Max OS version do you use?
My own experience is to use Max 6, or Max 5 on Snow Leopard. Some other Max users told me they used Max 6 runtime even on 10.10. Big patch does not run on my old Snow Leopard computer. New machine is on 10.12. What are your thoughts and experience? What is favourite setup?
The general wisdom is to use the newest release, when sufficient time has passed since the last major version jump Max 7 has been out a while, and the current version is 7.3.1. Therefore it is the wise choice. This is because, going forward, your work is more likely to work on newer versions.
regarding OS, I avoid MacOS whenever I can, frankly since Steve Jobs died Macintosh has only been heading south, albiet gayly, which some regard a benefit. Every few years Apple now makes some major change which requires everyone to change their software, that is, Apple is now behaving much like Microsoft did prior to Windows 7. Microsoft learned its lesson and Apple thinks itself too important for the same rule to apply.
@Ernest, so, you are on 7.3.1 and Windows 10?
As far as Mac, I agree with you. It is likely that this computer is my last Mac. Mainly because I think Mac is not interested anymore in pro's needs.