Apple decided to remove Rosetta 2 support in the next version of Mac OS. I don’t understand how that’s a good idea, since native support for Intel legacy applications, however inferior to the native ones, is why acceptance of Apple Silicon was so widespread and devoid of issues.
I understand why Apple would want to force software developers to issue new versions if they haven’t done so by now, because stuff that’s this old is usually a nest of bugs and issues. Also, support for games on a Mac works mostly due to a combination of virtual Windows and Rosetta 2 support for Intel games. It’s a hack, and it’s a poor substitute for native support, but this hack is now going to stop working. Unless native support becomes widespread, this is going to be a step backwards.
The OS started issuing notifications for stuff that’s about to stop working, and in my case it’s the following:
- X-Rite calibration software
- CyberPower Power Panel UPS software
- Emu48 emulator for HP48 calculator
Everything else seems to have been successfully ported to Apple Silicon by now, which is good. As for the remaining stuff, I replaced my old colorimeter with the modern version, since it was 10 years old and didn’t work properly on new monitors for a while now; either the dyes on the device have faded, or the monitors started using different technology of backlighting it can’t figure out properly. Since it’s a legacy device that forced me to use legacy software, I replaced it. The new Calibrite Display Plus HL just arrived, I tested it with the new Calibrite software and everything works. X-Rite problem solved.
The UPS software and the Emu48 calculator will stop working. The UPS software is not an issue with laptops, but until Apple Silicon version is released, I will postpone upgrading the Mac Studio. Electricity is a problem here and I don’t want disorderly shutdowns by the UPS to break my SSD drives. I expect the software to be updated eventually, because the updates are released with some regularity. As for the calculator, I’m afraid it’s abandonware and unless someone builds a new version, it’s toast.
I also decided to replace my 43″ LG 4k monitor with a LG 32″ 6K device. The 43″ monitor is more than 8 years old, and I was never completely happy with it. First of all, I expected the big surface area to be more useful than it turned out to be. For the most part, I use it the same way I used the previous 27″ monitor – browser and chat tiled, with the chat taking approximately a quarter of the horizontal space on the right side. Lightroom, of course, takes the whole screen when I run it. It’s not that the solution is bad, but I want to try a high resolution, condensed 6K option which scales better on a Mac, rendering crisper fonts and so on. My eyes’ ability to focus on near objects started degrading seriously about the time I bought this huge monitor, and although it’s unlikely to be connected, I’m not sure the thing helped, either. Also, I find the retina-type displays much more pleasant, so I’m trying this out now. Or, at least, when the thing arrives.
None of it is of great importance, of course, but it’s something that keeps me focused while I process stuff that’s better not to discuss at great length.