Mac OS X Snow Leopard Discussion

[offroadaaron]

You can find out if you are running in 64-bit mode by going to System Profiler (type it into spotlight) > Software section and then look for:

or

system_profiler | grep Extensions

[Phantom Helix]

is that what apple is doing to say SL takes less space? that's pretty stupid and underminded

thats actually works against them since SL makes the file size bigger

[rajputwarrior]

thats actually works against them since SL makes the file size bigger

yeah i saw that, but still. That's a pretty low marketing move by them... they should definitely be more up front about it. And what else is stupid now all the other OS use the legacy way of doing math and now apple is using a different method.

[offroadaaron]

I just rebooted in 64-bit mode (thinking it would do it automatically) and things are running much quicker. I'll keep testing. Here is the command to make sure it always boots in 64-bit mode (warning: check the compatible Mac list to make sure your chipset supports 64-bit):

To select the 64-bit kernel for the current startup disk, use the following command in Terminal:

sudo systemsetup -setkernelbootarchitecture x86_64

Good luck!

*Few software incompatibilities but nothing too bad yet.

Still says no after this but my computer seems so much faster.... Soo it could just be me thinking it's faster or the machine talking crap.... I'll go with my thinking its faster for now :p

[giga Veteran]

yeah i saw that, but still. That's a pretty low marketing move by them... they should definitely be more up front about it. And what else is stupid now all the other OS use the legacy way of doing math and now apple is using a different method.

Low marketing move? Base 10 counting wouldn't make a difference because the amount used would increase in size as well, not just amount available.

[offroadaaron]

yeah i saw that, but still. That's a pretty low marketing move by them... they should definitely be more up front about it. And what else is stupid now all the other OS use the legacy way of doing math and now apple is using a different method.

Why would they say something about that, and why is it low? ROFL your HDD is looked at as in the same way, if anything its better.... the math isn't correct but it's equal to HDD standards

Low marketing move? Base 10 counting wouldn't make a difference because the amount used would increase in size as well, not just amount available.

It makes no difference in the end because your HDD will look as if it has more space as well. Its just saying that if you get a 120gb drive you have 120gb now 111gb then all the files are the correct sizing as well.... Really your just seeing everything correctly as specified when your bought it.

I have an 120gb HDD and it shows as 119.69 GB

If anything I rather see it like this!

Edited August 29, 2009 by offroadaaron

[rob.derosa]

So does SL take up less space, or is it just the way they now count in 10?

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

yeah i saw that, but still. That's a pretty low marketing move by them... they should definitely be more up front about it. And what else is stupid now all the other OS use the legacy way of doing math and now apple is using a different method.

Apple are doing it because it's correct, Linux labels it properly as well.

Windows would be the only other major OS that still labels it incorrectly.

[offroadaaron]

So does SL take up less space, or is it just the way they now count in 10?

Unknown but probably just the way it counts in 10

[rajputwarrior]

So does SL take up less space, or is it just the way they now count in 10?

its a double edged sword, but i do kinda agree with offroadaaron argument.

It takes up less space because it gets rid of all of the PPC bins and system files, but its not as much as it may seem if you are doing the conventional way calculating hard drive space because SL does it the "new" way (using 1000 kb= 1 mb instead of 1024 kb = 1 mb)

[giga Veteran]

It makes no difference in the end because your HDD will look as if it has more space as well. Its just saying that if you get a 120gb drive you have 120gb now 111gb then all the files are the correct sizing as well.... Really your just seeing everything correctly as specified when your bought it.

Well yes, but the point of my post was that the your regular files will "look" larger as well, so it's not a "marketing move" or anything of that sort. Just a different way to calculate the file size.

For me it did. The key is to check the bytes in "Used". About 10GB freed. Before (in 10.5) -> After (in 10.6, right after it finished installing).

[rajputwarrior]

Apple are doing it because it's correct, Linux labels it properly as well.

Windows would be the only other major OS that still labels it incorrectly.

maybe i just havne't noticed, but i could of swore red hat builds did the whole "1024 = 1" of doing math

[offroadaaron]

Well yes, but the point of my post was that the your regular files will "look" larger as well, so it's not a "marketing move" or anything of that sort. Just a different way to calculate the file size.

It is when they say it takes up about 7 GB less when does it?

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

If Red Hat does it it's because they're patching it, the kernel and such report it correctly.

[giga Veteran]

It is when they say it takes up about 7 GB less when does it?

I'm totally lost on what you're asking me here.

[Phantom Helix]

I'm totally lost on what you're asking me here.

he is talking about this

smaller footprint.

Snow Leopard takes up less than half the disk space of the previous version, freeing about 7GB for you — enough for about 1,750 more songs3 or a few thousand more photos.

[rajputwarrior]

he is talking about this

smaller footprint.

Snow Leopard takes up less than half the disk space of the previous version, freeing about 7GB for you ? enough for about 1,750 more songs3 or a few thousand more photos.

its because it gets rid of all the PPC stuff, which is about half of Leopard itself.

[offroadaaron]

I'm totally lost on what you're asking me here.

he is talking about this

smaller footprint.

Snow Leopard takes up less than half the disk space of the previous version, freeing about 7GB for you ? enough for about 1,750 more songs3 or a few thousand more photos.

Yup exactly and 7GB is about what a 120GB gains from the new counting.

Plus its the smallest size HDD now so some people would thing they get crap loads more HDD space..... So does it really take up about 7GB less?

[giga Veteran]

It did free up space on my system but I'm not sure how Windows.net gained 1.5GB from it.

[offroadaaron]

It did free up space on my system but I'm not sure how Windows.net gained 1.5GB from it.

Did it actually free up space.... or Did you see more space on your HDD after?

[giga Veteran]

its because it gets rid of all the PPC stuff, which is about half of Leopard itself.

Yet it adds 64-bit binaries to almost everything else. It's in the printers, not the different architecture binaries.

Did it actually free up space.... or Did you see more space on your HDD after?

I said to look at the bytes. That's the raw data right there--no GiB or GB counting to confuse anyone.

[PyX]

Huh? Saving 7GB has NOTHING to do with counting files in base 10 instead of base 2, where did you guys get that?

Just take a look at the size of the applications in Snow Leopard and compare them to Leopard's. Yeah, it has diminished a LOT.

Plus they removed all the PowerPC stuff (APIs and whatnot)

Well, I guess I will see it when I will receive it, but when I installed the betas, I'm pretty positive that I saved a few gigabytes. It was 6 back in the time, but I think I saved like 4 - 5, which pretty much made my day even if it wasn't as advertised.

By the way, it now says shipped with Purolator Canada, so my bet is I will receive it on Monday @ 9 o'clock (the time where the purolator guy always shows up... and always wakes me up), but I'll be at school then... I'll have to go get it during the evening... Meh!

[Pharos]

I absolutely can't stand the way OS X handles external mouse tracking acceleration, so I've always relied on USB Overdrive. Sadly, it only works under 32-bit :( Does anyone know of an alternative app or a tweak that turns off the horrid mouse acceleration?

[PyX]

Well what's your mouse? It'd help to know :p

And maybe it has to do with another topic rather than Snow Leopard itself

[sn00pie]

I have a Logitech G7 and I rely on USB Overdrive too. So if I pickup a $29 upgrade, it will not let me do a clean install, so the best thing is re-install 10.5 off my original discs and then do a upgrade right after?