“Back in January, Apple published a document detailing changes that were coming to macOS Server, the company’s server version of its desktop operating system,” Kirk McElhearn writes for Kirkville.
“Apple had said this new version would be released in Spring 2018,” McElhearn writes, “which could mean any time up to the WWDC conference in June.”
McElhearn writes, “I revisited the document that Apple had published yesterday, and noticed that it had been updated a couple of weeks ago, and that it now says: ‘In fall 2018…'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Looks like another sign of Apple’s software cleanup effort.
SEE ALSO:
Apple shakes up software development strategy to focus on quality – February 12, 2018
Apple on Mac flaw: ‘We apologize to all Mac users. Our customers deserve better. We are auditing our development processes.’ – November 29, 2017
Tim Cook’s sloppy, unfocused Apple rushes to fix a major Mac security bug – November 29, 2017
What to do about Apple’s shameful Mac security flaw in macOS High Sierra – November 29, 2017
Under ‘operations genius’ Tim Cook, product delays and other problems are no longer unusual for Apple – November 20, 2017
Apple’s desperate Mac Pro damage control message hints at a confused, divided company – April 6, 2017
Apple is misplaying the hand Steve Jobs left them – November 30, 2016
Open letter to Tim Cook: Apple needs to do better – January 5, 2015
Upgrade or more likely “Neutered”.
They are probably having a hard time deciding what to remove next.
Jenga never gets easier…
Apple long ago screwed the pooch on their server line. Period.
A delay for Apple? Why I never.
Based on everything Apple said, this is not an UPGRADE by any stretch of the imagination. This is a gutted piece of shit targeted at whom I cannot say. It needs a new name because it is no successor to MacOS Server. MacOS iPhone Counter or something.
Wouldn’t be so bad if you could just use the command line, but it appears they are pulling the services out of the OS as well considering that the FTP command was gone in 5.6.1.
Well said. How Apple can call this version of macOS “sever” is simply inexplicable. Either Tim Cook has no idea what a sever is, or he has no shame.
Most likely both.
He doesn’t even know what a computer is, and has (seemingly proudly) admitted it a few times.
I can see the point of Apple staying out of the way of updating the open source components. We’re constantly reminded that security flaws are endless and relentless. Having to wait on Apple to catch up with patches and push them to users, then take the blame if they break something is a bit silly. This will force IT folk to be more informed about the service software at the source.
However, despite the effort required and dangers of breaking things, I do NOT see the point of Apple divorcing the services from the Server interface if only for monitoring logs and service activity. Creating a scattered chaos of monitoring thingies is the opposite of the point of having Server at all. The Apple way is simplification and improved ease.
I think Apple needs to get their internal work culture realigned with benefitting the user, not hobbling then with a return to the bad old days of CLIs for everything.
How about Apple creating an open source project of GUI unification for all and any service, one that each open source project can plug into in order to offer the administrative ease Apple itself is apparently no longer willing to provide in their proprietary software? Imagine that.
It looks like Apple was re-aligning their server as a device management platform. But without a true server device it’s hard to say you have a server OS – particularly if you want Fortune rated companies to adopt it.
Between the fact that Apple has plans for both the Mac Mini and the next Mac Pro, and offhand comments about looking at the workflow of professionals (this is way beyond supporting applications), something significant is coming.
I don’t know what it is but I hope Apple gets it right.
As a bit of a side job, I managed a smaller rural school district’s technology for about seven years, beginning in 2010. This district is fairly wealthy and was willing to spend. At the time, we did MacBooks for all the high school students and MacBook Pros for all the teachers…..all managed pretty well with a nicely loaded Mac Pro and Snow Leopard Server (10.6) . . . . it was all such a fantastic upgrade over anything the district had before in every way. We were able to run some virtualization for Windows for office staff. Some cool new hardware and management software for tablets via iPads was coming soon…and a lot of services that were prior Windows only were moving to web based applications. I thought Apple was on top and was going to stay there. Uh, no. Since then, I was able to convince the district to move the entire fleet to MacBook Airs. But, not any more. The last large order was for Chromebooks. The way they are managed is far less buggy, there’s commitment to the back end and it’s pretty seamless and when I was asked for my opinion I couldn’t recommend the best computers on the market anymore in the context of education. Apple Server was a competitive and feature rich product in 2010, now it needs investment in other platforms to do basic things. The promise of web based applications was fulfilled by other companies like creepy Google instead of filling in holes I never expected Apple to fill. But I also didn’t expect Apple to ADD holes where they weren’t. Apple’s back end management utilities are buggy and lack the intuitive advantages they once had. I think there’s good stuff now coming, but I can’t fathom how the lead was lost. And once lost…it’s so hard to get back. It’ll take years of proven commitment to regain those customers, and I don’t honestly know if Apple can demonstrate it. The company I have so long admired has fumbled the education market away just like the pro market, and promises better become wowza level execution soon because Chromebooks are good enough — even for “rich” districts. When I can’t recommend Apple is the best overall product even when total cost of ownership is factored then there’s something seriously wrong. End rant.
They are a phone company now ☹️
Apple doesn’t care.
They keep skating to where the puck will be, and ignoring where the puck is. Shiny toy syndrome company.
I wish Apple leaders had spoken to people like you .
At one point all they seemed to do was attend fashion shows, charities and rock concerts.
Don’t remember reports of any SVPs visiting and talking to school admins, Mac User groups etc.
(It’s also belatedly now after years that they are talking to graphics , video people etc over the Mac Pro. The Cylinder which didn’t fit pro requirements came out in 2013… )
My experience managing education technology from 2007-2013 is very similar to yours. 2008 got an Xserve with Snow Leopard Server, integrated it with existing Active Directory infrastructure, it was amazing. Could send out commands to Macs with Apple Remote Desktop, everyone was happy, oh the glory for 2-3 years. Now I find myself recommending Chromebooks. Very sad…
I suspect this has to do with the forthcoming AR glasses in 2020 and the new Mac Pro.
What relationship do you see between the AR glasses in 2020 and a Server MacOS?
Easy, it’s the new platform required to run macOS server.
Apple can better see the future of macOS server that way
I don’t think you AR serious…
It’s Tim Cook, not Chook, silly!
More and more I wonder if Apple has hired Steve Ballmer as a consultant. The company share looks more and more like Ballmer Era Microsoft.
If a Zune brown iPhone comes out, dump your Apple stock.
Huh….you said ‘dump’…..
A delay could be good or it could be bad. It’s a coin toss. I don’t use MacOS Server software so it really doesn’t matter to me. If it’s delayed, I just hope they do a good job with it.
How do you delay a server operating system that’s nothing more than the consumer version with a giant “we hate you” as a welcome screen?
So they have supplied this macOS Server Service Migration Guide 1.1 document where they basically ask us to self compile a bunch of open-source, create plists and manage via config files. – WoW!
Click to access macOS-Server-Service-Migration-Guide.pdf
I switched to Windows Server 2016 months ago. its %100 times better.. macOS can’t even get SMB working properly.