Warning ! Do Not Install Catalina, the new system software from Apple. Go to System Preferences / Software Update (if using Mojave, other systems may differ) and switch updates off, especially macOS updates.
• The new macOS Catalina (10.15) will break old 32 bit software, which you are using now.
• It is very hard, if not impossible, to go back to an older system.
• If you use iTunes it’s gone, the newer version called Music will be different and designed to promote Apple Music. Most DJ software no longer works.
• Old format videos will no longer play.
• If you sync your phone to your computer, prepare for everything to change – again.
• Your MacOS will now be on a Read-Only system partition. A lot of non Apple apps will have problems because of this.
There are many other changes, the only current benefit will be full compatibility with iOS 13.2 (already patched twice in a week) and new apps like Sidecar.
If you only ever use Apple Apps or have a new computer, think about upgrading to Catalina in a month or two, when it has settled down. Otherwise do not update until you are fully aware of all the changes.
The current system Mojave 10.14.6 works well on most computers made since 2013.
Catalina beta testers said:
• I continue to be stunned by Apple’s failure to significantly announce to its millions of users that lots of their software will simply stop working if/when they “upgrade” to Catalina.
• The new security features are incredibly annoying. Apps are constantly asking for permission to see various folders.
• This is the first OS X version I won’t upgrade until I’m forced to.
• Apple’s documentation says “Beginning in macOS 10.15, notarization is required by default for all software.”
• Ars Technica says give Apple a couple of months to patch Catalina before you install it.
FYI – just my opinion !
Update 12 November 2019
Following lengthy discussions on MacInTouch due to Apple Installers now having out of date security certificates and the disappearance of important software, this is where you can find the hidden Mojave installer on the App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/macos-mojave/id1398502828?mt=12
If you find an Apple software installer giving you the misleading information that it is “damaged and can’t be used”, try this solution: Reset the date on your computer to 2016 after quitting all apps. Install the software as usual and reset the date back to normal as soon as possible.
The version linked to above is now working, but last week it was not. Apple have not changed either the version number 14.6.06 or the creation date 19 September 2019, yet I now have 2 apparently identical Apple installers for Mojave of different sizes (the slightly larger one at 6,051,048,165 bytes is the new one). One of them works, the other is “damaged and can’t be used to install macOS”. Shameful – and not even true!
Update 29th May 2020
With the latest Security Update 2020-003 Apple is making it harder not to update to Catalina. I now recommend turning off all updates in System Preferences / Software Update. If you are running Mojave 10.14.6 do not keep your Mac up to date!
If you are careful you can apply security and other updates manually. However a safer way of doing this is to use SilentKnight or LockRattler.
This is making life much tougher for Mac Administrators, since it is easy to upgrade accidentally. Apple must be getting desperate, as we have to put up with more nagware without any opt-out. We are losing control of our computers and I find their attitude unnecessary and abusive. This is Apple being hostile to their own users, never a good strategy.
In addition, the latest update to Catalina has a nasty bug which prevents making a bootable backup disk. Remember you cannot easily revert to a previous system, or even update, yet updates with bugs are being forced upon us..
For more information and a list of installers try this Diskmaker X page.
Meanwhile here is a revised list of previous system installers, now hidden in the App Store:
Get macOS Mojave 10.14
Get macOS High Sierra 10.13
Get macOS Sierra 10.12
PS Download installers with Safari browser. These installers are still not reliable and often spawn random errors. Keep trying!
Update 27th October 2020
Well I hope you followed my advice, since Apple are now issuing rogue MRT files which are supposed to protect your computer. These are “invisible” files and are not supposed to affect your own usage, just protect you. However MRT 1.68 has caused serious damage and has been withdrawn, but you cannot replace it.
In addition the last security update 2020-005 caused serious issues for many users, it was also withdrawn and replaced with an update with the same name, so who knows where you are! Apple as usual refuses to comment on any of these issues.
Meanwhile to quote Ric Ford of MacInTouch:
Apple is now secretly hiding its phone-home connections from firewall software, which is completely and totally unacceptable and will cause some customers and partners to abandon the Mac platform.
David Dudok de Wit says starting with macOS Big Sur, users can’t:
- View a full, uncensored list of apps trying to access the Internet on their Mac — as Apple is hiding 56 of its own apps.
- Know how much data these Apple apps upload or download.
- Know which domains or IP adresses these Apple apps interact with.
- Block or allow traffic from these Apple apps.
Security by obscurity is not a thing, never has been.
