Upgraded to Mountain Lion (OS 10.8) and...

[WF7A]

...it works. Whee. I did have a problem trying to download it from the Apps store: I kept getting a funky error message.

Screen Shot 2012-07-26 at 11.26.09 PM.png

I spent about an hour searching the Web trying different ways of getting around the problem (including deleting the Apps store's files from my Mac; they self-generate again at start-up), but finally found a solution that worked: If you have Intego's Virus Barrier 6.x, select Disable in its Preferences settings, then download Mountain Lion. (Some users said that it had to be deleted, then reinstalled, after installing Mountain Lion but that's not true.) I was then able to download the upgrade in about half an hour...even though it was just after 2:00 am this morning so there were a lot of nerds like me still downloading it. (I have no life, what can I say?)

Virus Barrier reactivates itself upon Mountain Lion installation, but double-check just to make sure it does.

[AB2T]

Out of curiosity, how much does it cost to upgrade OSX?

I'm surprised that there's not a way to upgrade OSX from the terminal using something similar to a Linux repository manager such as 'apt-get' (Debian/Ubuntu), 'yum' (Fedora), 'pacman' (Arch), etc. Apple would have no problem writing in such a feature, as Darwin (the OSX unix-like kernel, very similar to Linux) is naturally suited for Linux-like file download management. In that case, one would issue a terminal command to update and upgrade the kernel, gui files etc. without having to use the graphical interface. Then again, Linux is "free", so there's no user cost. Still, I have a particular dislike for graphical file management for all the reasons you mention (incompatibility with other software, need to disable other running programs).

73, Jordan

[WF7A]

$20 to upgrade. Because I write software I have to upgrade my machine to the latest-and-greatest because my customers will. However, since this OS version has better Chinese support (good for The Wifoid) and now has Dictation available (I'll try that tomorrow) where it will record your spoken words as text, it's worth the price of admission.

What I don't like is that you can't buy an upgrade disc--you have no choice but to download the upgrade from the Apps store. Saves money for Apple but it's an inconvenience for users who, like me, prefer to a have disk around when TSHTF. However, there are instructions floating around the Web on how to burn a disk with the new operating system, so no biggie.

I agree with you, Jordan, but for the teeming masses--many of whom have juuuust enough smarts to turn a computer on--a graphical interface is the way to go. Here at work (a school)--where we're all Mac--I deal with users like that day in and day out. If I were to start with, "Use the command line function in the Terminal app inside the Utilities folder..." I'd get an instant deer-in-the-headlights look with glazed-over eyes.