Favorite version of macOS?
Favorite version of macOS?
10.6 due to nostalgia, 10.9 because I really enjoy the user interface, 10.12 since it’s dependable and backed by software support.
Mountain Lion! Mojave could be the smoothest OS ever made. The El Cap had its issues with Mavericks, which other OS didn’t need a fix for. Catalina removes non-Apple items and the log is bothersome. I haven’t explored Big Sur or Monterey much yet.
Before APFS (High Sierra) came along, managing these distros was simpler and more straightforward, especially when system tweaks were necessary. The removal of 32-bit support in Catalina was a bit challenging, particularly for gaming needs. Interestingly, you can still run many Windows 32-bit programs through PlayOnMac as long as you're using a 64-bit virtual drive. From a user perspective, I really appreciate Big Surg and Monterey—they look great and feel smooth. Tiger, Leopard, and Lion also work well because they feel stable, and the aqua theme is quite appealing. I also like skeuomorphic designs.
I appreciated how quickly Mojave responded. The arrival of Big Sur made it seem overly heavy for me. Perhaps it was due to using an older Macbook.
It seems the issue lies in the read-only nature of the OS volume for SIPs, but you're wondering if frequent system file changes were necessary. Since you haven't handled end-user devices since Panther, you might not be familiar with today's Mac management practices.