What it is: The latest version of the Macintosh operating system is now available, called macOS Sierra.
If you have a fairly recent Macintosh, such as an iMac from 2009, you should be able to run macOS Sierra. The real question is do you ant to?
Any time you upgrade an operating system, you can expect new features and user interface changes. Such minor changes may not be difficult to overcome, but do you really want to relearn something new or do you want to keep using what works and what you know how to use comfortably?
In the Windows world, a large majority of people still use Windows 7 because the operating system works. You likely won’t be any more productive using Microsoft Excel on Windows 10 or Windows 7, so there’s little reason to upgrade to Windows 10 if you’re happy using Windows 7.
In the Macintosh world, most people upgrade to the latest operating system for security and bug fixes. That doesn’t mean that new operating system upgrades won’t also have bugs, but that in general, the new features are worth the potential hassle and annoyance of minor bug issues.
So if you’re happy with your current Macintosh operating system, there’s little reason to upgrade. However, you might want to wait a while and see if anyone else is running into problems using the latest macOS Sierra.
Basically, macOS Sierra offers a host of new features including the ability to use Apple Pay when purchasing products online, Siri to allow you to give voice commands to your Macintosh, and a universal clipboard to copy and paste items from one Apple device to another. Review the list of features in macOS Sierra an d if you find a feature you’d like to have, then take the leap into a new operating system by downloading and installing macOS Sierra today.
Sticking with a current version of the Macintosh operating system may be fine for casual users, but for everyone else, it’s probably a good idea to stay current. First, there’s the security standpoint in that macOS Sierra will likely close security flaws in El Capitan or earlier operating system versions. Second, next year’s version of macOS will offer even more features, and it’s far easier to upgrade between successive versions of an operating system than to make the leap from one operating system to a more advanced one.
So the dilemma is if you don’t upgrade, you’ll miss out on new features. If you do upgrade, you’ll risk incompatibility with some programs and dealing with bugs in the new version. There’s is no clear cut answer but eventually it’s a good idea to keep updating until you can’t update any longer. Then if you need the new features of the latest operating system, that’s the time to buy a new Macintosh.
You can expect to hold on to your Macintosh for at least five years before it starts becoming obsolete compared to newer models. The newer your Macintosh, the more it makes sense to keep your operating system updated. The older your Macintosh, the more cautious you should be because newer operating system versions may not run as well on older models. Wait and find out before making the leap to upgrade and then regretting it.
If you want to stay on the cutting edge of the Macintosh world, upgrading makes sense. If you just want to use your Macintosh without any hassles, then holding off upgrading also makes sense. You can always upgrade later or not at all. Just weigh the pros and cons of each choice and decide which is best for you.
To read more about macOS Sierra, click here.