Confirmation of no more OS software updates for Snow Leopard ?

Will Apple eventually confirm in writing that there will no longer be
any software updates for the OS components on Snow Leopard ? Or does it
reserve the right to do such upgrades at any time even years after the
last one ?


or can we expect componenst such as webkit to continue to be upgraded
(requirin reboots etc) for many years to come ?

In particular, I am looking at Apache, PHP, MySQL, Postfix,
SquirrelMail, Dovecot and other open sourced packages that I indend to
start managing/upgrading myself.

(This is mostly for OS-X Server).

In article <50203346$0$1443$c3e8da3$ m>,
JF Mezei <> wrote:

>
> In particular, I am looking at Apache, PHP, MySQL, Postfix,
> SquirrelMail, Dovecot and other open sourced packages that I indend to
> start managing/upgrading myself.

I can't address your concerns about the last two on the list, and maybe
MySQL and Postfix, but you should always have your own tailored versions
of Apache and PHP.
--

.... do not cover a warm kettle or your stock may sour. -- Julia Child

In message <502041ab$0$45643$c3e8da3$ om>
Warren Oates <> wrote:
> In article <50203346$0$1443$c3e8da3$ m>,
> JF Mezei <> wrote:

>>
>> In particular, I am looking at Apache, PHP, MySQL, Postfix,
>> SquirrelMail, Dovecot and other open sourced packages that I indend to
>> start managing/upgrading myself.

> I can't address your concerns about the last two on the list, and maybe
> MySQL and Postfix, but you should always have your own tailored versions
> of Apache and PHP.

I've never seen any need to have my own version of Apache on OS X, and I
do maintain apache installs across several remote servers. The included
apache is just fine. I do enable php, of course, and make a few other
tweaks to the httpd.conf, but install my own apache? Don't need it.

--
Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to
show you any stinking badges.

Lewis wrote:

> I've never seen any need to have my own version of Apache on OS X,


But With Apache will keep evolving and Apple won't prodiuce new versions
for OA-X Snow Leopard.

In fact, Apple won't produce new versions for many things, including
MySQL (since it moved to a different database engine on Lion server),
Squirrel Mail ( no more web mail access on Lion/Mountain Lion server),
and no longer uses Dovecot for POP/IMAP, so I wo't get updates for those.

JF Mezei:

> Will Apple eventually confirm in writing that there will no longer be
> any software updates for the OS components on Snow Leopard ? Or does it
> reserve the right to do such upgrades at any time even years after the
> last one ?

I spin my magic wheel and the authoritative answer is: "No one here
knows the answer to that question. You could try asking Apple, but they
will not tell you." But, as usual, I don't think you were looking for
an answer, just wanting to spark more idle speculation. Too much time
on your hands? Get a hobby.

--
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

Davoud wrote:

> I spin my magic wheel and the authoritative answer is: "No one here
> knows the answer to that question. You could try asking Apple, but they
> will not tell you." But, as usual, I don't think you were looking for
> an answer, just wanting to spark more idle speculation.


Since I am on Snow Leopard, and am stuck there for various reasons, my
question was serious.

JF Mezei <> wrote:

> Will Apple eventually confirm in writing that there will no longer be
> any software updates for the OS components on Snow Leopard ? Or does it
> reserve the right to do such upgrades at any time even years after the
> last one ?

As far as I know, Apple has never confirmed in writing when they will
stop or have stopped updating earlier systems. It can only be determined
from anecdotal evidence, and the cutoff appears to vary between
components.

The usual rules (as determined by observation of past versions) are:

1. Minor version updates cease around the time the next major version is
released (e.g. 10.6.8 came out shortly before 10.7, 10.5.8 shortly
before 10.6, but 10.4.11 was shortly after 10.5).

As we are in the transition zone after the introduction of 10.8, it is
not clear yet whether there will be a 10.7.5 update, but there have been
rumours citing a developer seed of that version. If 10.7.5 is released,
it would probably be the last minor version update for Lion.

2. Security updates covering a wide range of system components cease
around the time the second subsequent major version is released (e.g.
10.5.8 got security updates until shortly before 10.7 was released,
10.4.11 got security updates until shortly before 10.6 was released).

We won't know whether Snow Leoaprd has stopped getting security updates
until Apple releases the next Lion update. If 10.7.5 or a general
security update for 10.7.4 is released, and there is no corresponding
security update for 10.6.8 at the same time, it probably means Snow
Leopard security updates have ceased.

If there is a security update for Snow Lepoard then that might be the
last one, but we won't know that until the following security update is
released for Lion.

3. During the "security updates only" window, Apple may also release
other minor updates to specific components.

4. Some components which get updated independently like Java, QuickTime,
Remote Desktop, AirPort Utility and Safari seem to have their own
completely arbitrary cutoff cycles. Java and QuickTime often stop
getting updates before the final security update. Safari has sometimes
been updated well beyond that point (for 10.4.11).

When Safari 6 was released for Lion, Apple not only didn't release it
for Snow Leopard, they also pulled the page which allowed you to
manually download Safari for Snow Leopard, and pulled the Software
Update images which let you update to Safari 5.1.7. At present, the last
version of Safari avaialble for a fresh Snow Leopard installation is
5.0.5, which came as part of the 10.6.8 combo update.

This a puzzling situation and it may be temporary while Apple is working
on a new Safari update for Snow Leopard, perhaps a version 5.2.

5. iTunes supports older systems for quite a bit longer than anything
else from Apple, sometimes a year or more after security updates have
ceased.

I expect iTunes will drop support for Leopard when the next major
version is released with support for the new iPhone model, probably in
September.

There are rare exceptions where there is a "late" update targetting a
specific issue. The main one which occurs to me is that Leopard got its
last general security update in June 2011, but then had one-off updates
to deal with Flashback in May 2012.

Apple may of course break the pattern and do something different. We
might yet see a 10.6.9 update, or a targetted Snow Leopard update to
remove the vestiges of MobileMe support, perhaps even add some iCloud
support (unlikely in my opinion).

> or can we expect componenst such as webkit to continue to be upgraded
> (requirin reboots etc) for many years to come ?

Don't know yet. Safari on Snow Leopard may yet get another update, and
if so, it could be updated for another year or so (based on what
happened with Tiger, but not with Leopard).

> In particular, I am looking at Apache, PHP, MySQL, Postfix,
> SquirrelMail, Dovecot and other open sourced packages that I indend to
> start managing/upgrading myself.

Those are not likely to be updated further by Apple unless there is a
general security update.

I'm hoping that Snow Leopard will get at least one more security update,
and based on usage figures, Apple may need to consider releasing Snow
Leopard security updates for several more months.

--
David Empson

Jolly Roger wrote:

> I have no idea what you are going on about. Apple can and does update
> apache and other pieces of system software periodically. They may or may
> not do that, or better, in the future, too. What's the big deal?

It isnt a "big" deal because I know this is coming. But I must gradually
install "open sourced" version of the open sourced software on my server
and gradually wein myself from apple supplied upgrades.

This is easier if I could get a confirmation that the server will no
longer get such automated upgrades which could put back into production
Apple's version of the software.

Davoud:
> > I spin my magic wheel and the authoritative answer is: "No one here
> > knows the answer to that question. You could try asking Apple, but they
> > will not tell you." But, as usual, I don't think you were looking for
> > an answer, just wanting to spark more idle speculation.

JF Mezei:
> Since I am on Snow Leopard, and am stuck there for various reasons, my
> question was serious.

I will take you at your word, and you may strike the last part of my
response from the record, beginning with "But, as usual...."

The first part of my response, from "No one here knows...." through
"...will not tell you," stands.

--
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

In message <502062ef$0$1209$c3e8da3$ m>
JF Mezei <> wrote:
> Lewis wrote:

>> I've never seen any need to have my own version of Apache on OS X,

> But With Apache will keep evolving and Apple won't prodiuce new versions
> for OA-X Snow Leopard.

What? Where did you get taht idea (if I am reading it correctly, which I
am unsure of).

--
"I don't think the kind of friends I'd have would care."