When the Beta expires, will people be hosed?

Mac OS X Public Beta is for testing purposes. That's an issue that's been well drilled into our heads in any discussion of Mac OS X since the first release of Rhapsody.

My guess is that Apple's release of the final version of Mac OS X will have an "updater" to updgrade only:
1. Mac OS 8.6 - 9
2. Mac OS X Server
3. Mac OS X Public Beta (from an "unhacked" state)

If the final release is too late in coming, Apple will patch to automatically extend the "cut off" date for three months or so. They've done this before with other software (MRJ public previews, an OpenDoc beta if I recall right, and I'm sure others). It'll be worked in to the auto-update feature or be a trivial download.

If all else fails, they'll simply remind you that Mac OS X Public Beta was for testing purposes only and that it's your responsibility not to be "burned". That's would be a PR nightmare, but legally they don't HAVE to do anything.
 
I wasn't worried about the time runing out, that is why I partioned the drive so I could work either way.
I will be glad to get the full version (when ever)
 
Does anyone know how this transition will occur ??
Will we have to remove OS X beta and install the final
or will the CD update the beta to final specifications ?

and:
What will you people do ??
I know that some of you, like me, have partitioned
you HD to have OS 9 and OS X beta. When the final rolls out
will you keep that OS 9 partition and have an OS 9 and an OD X final partition or is it going to be 100% OS X ???
What is your opinion ?
 
It seems ever onei s worrying about OSX expireing before the actual issue is out.
I like many of you have partioned my hard drive for this reason.
I also have a USB HD on stand by for back up of my os9
if and when OSX expires and the OSX isn't out yet.
John
 
Actually I think that the people who installed on one partition are better off when it comes to returning to os9. All you have to do is boot into os9 delete everthing outside of the os9 folder then take the contents of that folder and move it bake to root, Delete the now empty os9 folder and poof your done. And you don't even have an extra partion to deal with however either way I would strip everthing and reload from scratch just to be sure
 
It doesn''t matter wether you have a partion or not,
Cause when you install OSX it copies os 9 from the other partion regardless.
By having OS0 in a partion by its self you can use your printer- the other way you can't
 
Is it really going to expire? Has anyone tried to set the date to June 2001 and reboot? :)

I think it will continue too run, but I haven't tried yet. Maybe the Software upgrader will destroy the Public Beta on May 2001.
 
Originally posted by MacRebell
Is it really going to expire? Has anyone tried to set the date to June 2001 and reboot? :)

I think it will continue too run, but I haven't tried yet. Maybe the Software upgrader will destroy the Public Beta on May 2001.
Click to expand...

See above posts.

F-bacher

P.S. That means yes.
 
Well, the above couple of posts seem to point to a fairly obvious solution - turn off network time sync, set the clock back to 1968, and delete software update.

Mind you, I wouldn't be surprised if Apple had a few extra tricks up their sleeves in this regard. Logging outgoing TCP/IP traffic for a while might tell us what, if any, spying they have been doing on us, and indicate what we should set our firewalls to block after May 16.
 
What are yu all so worried about? The final is supposed to be out by Feb. 24, 2001. I plan on upgrading to the final don't you?

Stop worrying about the expiration date :),
 
OK. Why don\\\'t you, if it is such a <b> huge </b> problem, why don\\\'t you boot back into OS9 and change the time back and then reboot. It <i> could </i> work!!

Good Luck
 
Just to answer panther's second question:

The CoreServices folder in the System folder is the System Folder for OS X and the file bootX is an OS 9 system file and it loads the OSX kernel. The dock and Desktop are in that folder too.

peter
 
Sort of off topic but I was reading the loginwidow.strings (System/Library/CoreServices/loginwindow.app/Resources/English.lproj/loginwidow.strings) file and i noticed that under "Second Date" is this:

"This Beta release of Mac OS X has expired. You will need to restart your computer from a bootable Mac OS CD (not your Public Beta CD) to access the contents of your hard drive or reset your computer's startup disk.

Thanks for helping and for being a part of Apple history. We couldn't do it without you. Visit us at http://www.apple.com/macosx for details about the new release of Mac OS X.";

I also there is:

/* Button title in alert to confirm restarting the computer into DOS/Windows (Intel computers only). */
"Restart in DOS" = "Restart in DOS";

You can't tell me they're not planning to port it to x86.

peter
 
Considering the beta is only out for apple systems, I dont think that that message means apple is making os x for x86 (but you never know). It would be nice though if I could get an apple system on a cheep pc......
 
I think it is ridiculous that Apple is planning to actually 'hose' OS X beta users. Why should we have spent all this time transitioning to the new system, then have to wait an month untill Apple actually releases the system software? I really hope they circulate a temporary updater; I've grown kinda fond of the new system and do not relish the thought of having to revert to 9 for a while, lol.

...Maybe it's all part of the hard-sell...


-Mulder.
 
Well...
I would like an updater too.
I have been an OS X user since october and I have grown accustommed to it. I have added my own programs, my own additions, background pics, sounds, etc etc etc. I really hate the idea that I might have to start from the beginning again.

Admiral
 
I'm sorry but alot of you seem to be paying no attention to the world of computers as we know it.

1)OS X as we know it, is a beta that will expire when you're clock strikes May 16 2001. Solution: Set the clock back.

2)OS X will not require you to uninstall the beta to install the final version. One, that's a microsoft tactic not something apple does regularly. Two, when was the last time you had to compleatly remove your system to put the new one in? Three, if you've ever had to reinstall the beta, it just installs over your current setup, we can assume OS X Final will do the same.

3) Under any circumstance, if the beta should expire before OS X is released we can always restart from the OS9 cd which we all own. This will then tell your computer to start up with os 9. How do I know this? I've done it before and do you remember that with the move to OS 9 and the G3's and iMacs, apple places the boot ROM onto a file in your system folder? When you install OS X, the boot ROM tells it to go boot from the Kernel, when you start from the OS 9 cd, the boot ROM changes back to it's OS 9 instructions.

4) Should all else fail, the hacker comunity is still strong, expect to see unofficial patches to extend the beta period.
 
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