Originally Posted by artie505
We're more or less thinking in the same direction, although I expect that I"ll substitute updates for your clean installs.

We differ about waiting for app updates/grades. I haven't even had anything like Disk Warrior, TechTool Pro, or Onyx installed on my MBP in - literally - years. DW and TTP, in particular, have both reached points at which they're stretching to keep relevant (It began years ago when DW added checking xml files to its functionality.), because their basic usefulness is no longer...well...particularly useful.

And remember that since Apple allowed DW and TTP to be distributed as d/l's rather than on discs they've been immediately available should we need them, and there's been no real need to pay for upgrades before we actually NEED them.

It took a lot of years for Apple to get there, but their OS finally does "just work!" smile

Accordingly, my only critical app is CCC.

I always do a clean, fresh installation with at least the initial version of the mac OS I am moving to. Has always worked for me, and subsequently resulted in things running fine.

As for app updates/grades, the apps I listed (Onyx, Thunderbird, SuperDuper!, LIbreOffice, and Tech Tool Pro) are just too critical for me, and I don't want to be without them. And of course there are the circumstances that 1) the first couple of versions of any new mac OS have too many bugs, and 2) there is nothing earth shattering in the new OS that I must have. Waiting is more a requirement on my part, and given that Catalina is rock solid, I can wait.

Again, all of that has worked well for me.

As for the upgrades themselves, only Tech Tool Pro requires a payment (although they have stated that the Big Sur compatible version will be free). Also, if one needs such software for an issue, such software needs to be compatible, especially at the time one needs it. I prefer to wait until such compatibility is there.

The other good thing about my strategy is that I can "wait on the sidelines" and observe how the first few versions of the new mac OS are behaving. I can then take any necessary, further steps before making the move (if they are needed).

Last edited by MartyByrde; 10/28/20 05:24 PM.