Dave Nanian

SuperDuper has always endeavored to support versions of macOS as far back as is practical with any new release. We really want users on older OS versions to benefit from updates and changes we've made.

Right now, we support macOS 10.13 (late builds due to macOS bugs) and later, and our next v3.x version will continue to do so.

For v4.0, we're considering moving our low bar up so we can use new capabilities and so it's a bit easier for us to build.

Vote & your thoughts?

You should keep 10.13 and later
4.4%
10.15 and later is fine
41.1%
macOS 12 and later sounds good
53.3%
Why don’t you still support macOS 10.1, loser!
1.1%
Poll ended at .
May 15 at 2:21amWeb
Show threadDave Nanian3d ago
By way of reminder, from Wikipedia, here are the respective release dates. 10.13 was released in 2017.
Show threadgeoff martin3d ago
@dnanian “If I could turn back time…”
- Cher
Show threadScottieMac3d ago
@dnanian whoops, I voted for 10.15 but was thinking macOS 15
Show threadDave Nanian3d ago
@scottymac TOO LATE! ;-)
Show threadDave Nanian3d ago
@scottymac (But what you're saying is, only one OS version back is what you'd expect.)
Show threadScottieMac3d ago

@dnanian ha! I just spent 10 minutes typing a response to you and changing my mind a couple times.

So yes I think it’s reasonable to actively support latest two macOS versions (along with ability to download older versions for older OSes that wont be updated).

Show threadDave Nanian3d ago
@scottymac At the same time, it was fortunate that we *do* support quite a few versions back when we had to deal with a security update, because we could cover far, far more users…
Show threadChristopher Keener, pHd 3d ago
@dnanian 10.13 is still perfectly robust and before Apple started vibe coding and introducing more bugs. 🐛
Show threadDave Nanian3d ago
@RoboticistDuck I'm not sure that they were vibe coding so much as vibe designing, and that started well after 10.13…
Show threadChristopher Keener, pHd 3d ago
@dnanian all I know is that macOS and iOS are packed with nasty bugs that don’t get cleaned up after multiple minor updates, so it seems Tim is falling asleep at the wheel.
Show threadDave Nanian3d ago
@RoboticistDuck Everything has bugs, including nasty ones, and nothing's perfect...no matter how much it would be nice for the latter to be true.
Show threadNikhil Nigade3d ago

@dnanian I learn’t how resource intensive this practice is while working on BusyCal for Mac. I had to pull out an old MacBook running 10.13 and a hackintosh running 10.12 when it supported those 😅

macOS 12 seems fine to me (my vote) but YMMV based on usage stats if you have any, that’s the obvious answer.

I would drop N-3 release every June after WWDC in preparation for the next. I do N-2, whatever you see fit.

Show threadDave Nanian3d ago
@nikhil It is an enormous amount of work to maintain support for older OS versions, but we do it because we value users even if they can't move to later macOS versions (which can be due to *many* reasons).x
Show threadLuke Dorny 3d ago
@dnanian 12 & later crowd!
Show threadMatt Godden3d ago

@dnanian I see macOS as having phases that pretty much correspond to:
10.x-10.15
11-15
26-I'm leaving the Mac for Linux because KDE Plasma is a better UI, and Apple are Collaborators.

Unless there's a technical reason, 11 would seem a more natural cutoff / transition point.

Show threadDave Nanian3d ago

@metaning 12 does have a technical reason: you can't build for <12 under current macOS.

There's a lot of nuance in these build-vs-run-vs-API-vs-libraries choices, etc.

Show threadMichael Solis3d ago
@dnanian I voted 10.15 but now that I think about it some more I think 12 should be the floor. The Mac’s that supports are all the Intel Macs so it shouldn’t be an issue and the upside is too much to ignore. Thanks for asking. Most don’t care to ask.
Show threadCorentin Cras-Méneur3d ago
@dnanian It's difficult to answer without knowing what is going to be in v4. If it's features that wouldn't be of use in older version of macOS, then it’s a no brainer. Especially as long as SD! 3 remains available on your site (and if users can still acquire a licence for v3 if they need it for an older Mac). If the features add value no matter what version of macOS you have, then it's a different story involving cost/benefit :-)
Show threadDave Nanian3d ago

@cortig Part of the problem, of course, is having to have code that has to avoid deprecated things that were available in older OSes, because of new features…and the more things advance, the harder (and riskier) it is to continue with that.

And, of course, my lips are completely sealed re: v4. :-)

Show threadCorentin Cras-Méneur3d ago
@dnanian And I understand you can't pull the curtain now on what v4 will offer, but it makes it really hard to select an option in the poll without knowing :-) In a perfect world, I'd select the last one ;-) I want everything supported all the way back to the MacOS X Developer Previews of 2000 :-> (I'm being reasonable: I didn't ask for System 7 or Next support.)
Show threadDave Nanian3d ago
@cortig Thank you for also leaving Lisa off the list, let alone Windows and Linux.
Show threadCorentin Cras-Méneur3d ago
@dnanian I never owned a computer that ran Lisa. I ran Linux PPC 2000 on a PowerMac G3 with a 3dfx Voodoo3 graphic card though… That's a thought!! :-)
Show threadDave Nanian3d ago
@cortig NO! ;-)
Show threadDave Nanian3d ago
@cortig Who will back up my Sinclair?
Show threadJan Lehnardt 2d ago
@dnanian def move on, especially if you can keep v3 around for a bit
Show threadDave Nanian1d ago
@janl Any specific wins you're thinking of - definite is pretty definitive.