Sep 16, 2015 About Developing for Mac. The OS X operating system combines a stable core with advanced technologies to help you deliver world-class products on the Mac platform. Knowing what these technologies are, and how to use them, can help streamline your development process, while giving you access to key OS X features. Jul 26, 2009 I don't believe there is a problem with CS4 they conflict anymore but I hated Macs and the stereo type mac user before I switched and now I only use Macs and don't know how I could of ever lived with out it. As for Web Development Macs have a lot more software other then Adobe to use which windows doesn't. May 12, 2019 If money isn’t a problem and you want to be ready to work with any web project, go with a Mac and avoid the headaches Windows is going to give you when you run into a mac-first project. Homebrew, iTerm2, and Sublime Text are probably your best bets out of the 31 options considered. 'Quick access to a large repository of open source software' is the primary reason people pick Homebrew over the competition. This page is powered by a knowledgeable community that helps you make an informed decision. Download and install the best free apps for Web Development Software on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android from CNET Download.com, your trusted source for the top software picks.
Limiting any list to ten is difficult − especially when it lists indispensable websites about your trusted Mac. But even though this Mac website list isn’t comprehensive, it does include some pretty useful websites that every Mac user should get to know.
Apple Insider
As with many other comprehensive sites devoted to the Cupertino crowd (including some in this list), you’ll find lots of news, forums, and reviews concerning all things Apple. But Apple Insider also wants to solicit your help. You’re invited to submit rumors and information to the site − and may even do so anonymously.
Cult of Mac
This well-regarded daily news site is also on top of the latest out of Apple-land, with forums on the Mac that cover vintage computers to the latest models. Cult of Mac will also happily accept a news tip from you.
MacFixIt
When something has gone wrong and you’re seeking answers, check out MacFixIt, now part of CNET. This troubleshooting site tackles a gaggle of issues, with help from your Mac brethren. And because of the CNET acquisition, you no longer have to fork over $24.95 a year for a Pro version with tutorials, full access to more than a decade of content, and more.
MacRumors
Apple is one of the most secretive outfits on the planet. Seldom does the company spill the beans on new products in advance; the notable exception is features for the next iteration of OS X. That doesn’t prevent numerous Apple watchers from speculating on what might be coming out of Cupertino.
Besides, who doesn’t love a juicy rumor now and then? Is Apple merging with Nintendo? (Don’t count on it.) Is Apple going to add a subscription music plan to iTunes? (Don’t count on that either.) Head to MacRumors for the latest dirt, some of which might even turn out to be true.
MacSurfer
MacSurfer is a wonderful resource for the Apple news junkie. MacSurfer’s Headline News sports links to articles on all things Apple, including traditional media, websites, Apple itself, and bloggers. Links are segregated by Apple, OS X, General Interest, Hardware/Software, How-To/Reviews, Op/Ed, Press Releases, Computer Industry, and Finances.
Macworld
It’s all here at Macworld: news, how-tos, product reviews, discussion forums, and current and past articles from Macworld magazine. And one of the places that used to make this top-ten list as a stand-alone site is part of Macworld, too: Mac OS X Hints.
Other World Computing
Need more RAM for your computer? Or an extra hard drive, perhaps? Maybe even an add-on that would let you watch TV on your Mac? Other World Computing (OWC) has been specializing in sales of Mac accessories since the first Bush administration. The online retailer has earned a stellar reputation for prompt delivery and reliability.
This list was supposed to mention only ten sites, but if you promise not to tell, other online retailers worth checking out include MacMall and Small Dog Electronics.
The Unofficial Apple Weblog
The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW, for short) is an enthusiast’s blog that lets people comment on Apple articles and reviews.
VersionTracker
VersionTracker is a repository for downloadable shareware, freeware, and updates to Mac software. Click a name to discover more about what a program does and to eyeball ratings and feedback. It, too, is now part of the CNET empire, specifically the Mac Software area of Download.com.
Apple.com
Apple may seem like an obvious place to go. Heck, you probably already landed there just by opening Safari the first time. And you may not love the full blitz of Mac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad advertising and promotions, even if you already drank Apple’s Kool-Aid. But presumably most of you already have sweet feelings for the company’s products.
This website is full of helpful resources, especially for, but not limited to, newbies. You can download software updates and manuals, view video tutorials, post questions in discussion forums, read press releases, and consult the knowledge base. Mostly, you’ll walk away with a renewed sense of goodwill for the company responsible for the computer that most of you fancy so much.
It's time for another chipset transition for the Mac, this time from Intel to ARM. The rumors continue to escalate around this potential future for the Mac line, and may see software and hardware announcements soon. An ARM Mac is inevitable, but the question is, when?
● Apple designed chipset ● New ARM friendly macOS ● Based on existing A-series processors ● Software already exists ● Control over entire stack ● Leave legacy software behind ● Transition likely smoothed by existing hardware
Software shifts and hardware transitions are nothing new to Apple, and we are about to see another huge shift in how they approach consumer technology. Until now, the Mac has relied on innovation and development from Intel to move forward, but with the ARM Mac, Apple will have total control.
Apple produces its own ARM chipsets for iPhone and iPad, and may do the same for its ARM Mac
Rumors have circulated for a few years now about the potential of an ARM-based Mac. With the introduction of the iPad Pro and continued year-over-year improvements to Apple’s A-series chipsets, an ARM Mac feels almost inevitable.
The past decade has been bumpy for Mac users. Apple has had its own host of issues with designs they introduced, like the butterfly keyboard and cylindrical Mac Pro, but much of what has been holding back the Mac falls on Intel.
Since 2015 Intel has seen marginal improvements in their chipset capabilities and relied upon increased clock speeds and more demands on cooling than actual processor gains. This left Apple with little room to move when it came to innovating on the Mac platform.
Apple even had to implement custom silicon in their Macs to run in tandem with the Intel processors, thus taking some of the load off of the Intel processes.
The T1 was Apple’s first ARM chip in a Mac; used for improved security
If Apple controlled the development of all the hardware and software in Mac, just as it has with the iPhone and iPad, then we would see much greater leaps in performance over time. This would allow more room for innovations in design and add in additional use cases and hardware.
Since the release of macOS Catalina, we have seen a slow trickle of Mac Catalyst apps. These are apps designed for iPad that have been formatted to work on Macs with macOS system architecture and Intel chipsets.
While Catalyst has yet to prove a great hit with developers, it lays the groundwork necessary for them to start programming iPad apps as if they were running in a macOS environment.
It is safe to assume that Mac Catalyst developed iPad apps will be easily transitioned, if not directly portable, to an ARM Mac. Catalyst also shows that Apple is capable and learning about making it easy to implement developer tools for transitions between platforms.
Do not be surprised if we see a “Mac Catalyst ARM edition” of some kind very soon.
Perhaps the most crucial development surrounding software for the ARM Mac is SwiftUI. This new language is universal and can easily be used for any Apple Platform during development.
In 2005, late Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that the Mac would transition to Intel from PowerPC over a year starting in 2006. The entire Mac line transitioned to Intel processors in 2006, first ones in January, and the last in August. Mac OS X Snow Leopard launched in 2009 as Intel only.
Steve Jobs unveiling the NeXT computer, says system architectures shift every decade
To move the entirety of the Mac platform for millions of users, minuscule by today's user base, to a new system architecture with minimal issues was an incredible feat. It is impossible to determine the speed at which Apple will move Mac to ARM, but for everyday users, the transition will likely be invisible.
Today's ARM chipsets can already handle most tasks an average user performs, and not having compatibility with Windows shouldn’t be an issue in a world where most data is in the cloud anyway. We do not know what kind of performance an Apple-designed “desktop-class” ARM chipset will produce, but it may be a few generations before the Mac Pro can kick Intel entirely. Lesser Macs meant for consumers and professionals who are not mapping star systems or making a Pixar movie will likely be just fine with ARM.
The iPad Pro with the A12X chipset operates better than many consumer PCs and laptops, how will the ARM Mac perform?
Apple tends to be obsessive about consistency across a platform. It is hard to imagine Apple having their entire product line from iPod to iMac running on ARM and having one single Mac on Intel. This would lead to software compatibility issues and development forks in professional-grade tools.
Even with the entire line shifting to ARM, leaving the Mac Pro as is during the transition will work fine. When you do see a Mac Pro with Apple ARM inside, expect macOS to deprecate Intel Macs soon after.
Unless you are a professional who needs to run Windows and macOS on the same machine, or have very specific software that won't update to the new ARM architecture for a few years, you won't even notice this is happening. The biggest change for more casual users will be the lockdown of compatible software.
All of the software a user downloads from the web assumes they are working on a Mac or PC running Intel. This means when you buy an ARM Mac, you will not be downloading any of that software, which might be frustrating for users. iPad and iPhone cannot download apps from the web, and the same could easily occur for the ARM Mac.
The MacBook Air is a great candidate to become an ARM Mac since its small size restricts it from more powerful chipsets
Since macOS has a bit more control over software installation, Apple will likely enable settings for users to install compatible applications from the web. It will be up to third-party developers to make their software compatible, however, and could mean a minimal third-party software for some time after launch.
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If Apple is serious about an ARM transition, it will have to be behind developers all the way, and incentivize them to develop apps quickly.
If Apple restricts Mac software to the Mac App Store or makes it very hard to install from anywhere else, developers will need to offer their apps through official Apple channels. Otherwise, Apple could alienate popular developers and thus lose customers to Windows because of a lack of compatible software.
Another issue that is easily solved with licensing is Thunderbolt. Intel owns the rights to Thunderbolt and includes the necessary I/O for the ports in the Intel chipsets. Unless Apple comes up with its own version of Thunderbolt without violating patents, Apple will likely still be in business with Intel in some capacity.
Rumors point to the fall of 2020 for the first ARM Mac. The now-defunct 12-inch MacBook would make the perfect candidate for the first Mac with Apple ARM inside. Some speculate a return to the “iBook” branding for such a device since it would essentially be a MacBook running on iPad chipsets.
Reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests a spring 2021 launch is more likely, repeatedly. Whichever is true, WWDC 2020 is the last chance for Apple to talk directly to developers about such a transition before it occurs, if it occurs before next year's WWDC.
To complicate things even further, WWDC will be held remotely via the internet in 2020 amid coronavirus concerns, making the transition announcement somewhat cumbersome as no developers will be physically present.
A developer transition kit is needed, and software too, because the hardware cannot launch without any software. It is likely that an official announcement from Apple is not far off. One Twitter leaker suggests there is a 12-inch device in development at this moment, and another leaker has since followed up stating the 12-inch ARM MacBook could be the first such product.
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Another rumor corroborated the existence of a device, suggesting an ARM Mac laptop of some kind would be seen sometime in 2021. This device would host a version of the upcoming A14 chipset that is slated for the 'iPhone 12.'
Just before WWDC, Kuo released another note stating there would be an ARM MacBook by the end of 2020, with a 24-inch ARM iMac to follow.