Lion

[Scott Brady]

Being used to PC's I'm wondering how the upgrade could effect my old Canon printer driver and Final Cut Express. Any compatibility issues I need to know about before the change? Will Lion warn me about issues before or during the upgrade? I assume all photos and video will still be there afterwards.

The upgrade was flawless for me.

Another annoyance, when selecting a drive, it no longer shows the available space on the bottom.

[chrismc]

Has anyone tried FileVault 2 yet? I'd like to use it for my Air and to encrypt my external backup via Time Machine. Does anyone know if this is possible? Can a wireless printer be used with FileVault 2?

I encrypted my MacBook Pro with FileVault 2 yesterday. It works very well and allows Time Machine backups to run while you're logged in. CNET has a good article about FileVault 2 (http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7...s-x-10.7-lion/) and how it works better and is more secure than its predecessor. I haven't figured out yet if Time Machine backups are encrypted by default or not, or how to set that up. I have read references that the backup volumes can be encrypted, even using separate keys from the main volume.

[chrismc]

Being used to PC's I'm wondering how the upgrade could effect my old Canon printer driver and Final Cut Express. Any compatibility issues I need to know about before the change? Will Lion warn me about issues before or during the upgrade? I assume all photos and video will still be there afterwards.

There is a thorough list of app compatibility at roaringapps.com. FCE 4 is listed as ok, but I have no idea about the print driver. I know that each successive version of Mac OS X seems to have better printer support, in my experience.

There is a HUGE app compatibility issue that everyone should be aware of before upgrading:
Older applications built for the PowerPC architecture DO NOT WORK in Lion, and there is no workaround. You cannot uninstall the Lion upgrade, your only option is to wipe the Mac and reinstall a fresh copy of Snow Leopard. There was a compatibility layer built into previous OS X versions called "Rosetta" that is now gone. I was caught off-guard by this, and lost some apps that were very valuable to me. I've found new apps to replace all but one, but this was a pain I wasn't expecting. If you have apps that are not very new or that you have a lot of time/money invested in, be SURE to check Lion compatibility before upgrading (roaringapps.com).

[smbisig]

Because I am a deadline photographer, I have to wait until all my required software works for sure. Reading some of the photography forums I am finding that some are having issues with 3rd part photography software. So unfortunately, I have to wait.

[Schattenjager]

Very elegant OS. I can see this paving the way for a powerful user interface / system consistency so that the iPad can move on to the level of the old MacBooks.

[greg mgm]

How would you guys rate using a trackpad with Lion? Is it something that is a cool gadget, a irreplaceable tool, or just a fun way to navigate?

[Schattenjager]

Track Pad is the only way to get all the gestures to work. I have an iMac and an MBP - so I use the track pad for consistency but also use a magic mouse to compliment the pad. It's nice to be able to hold it in your hand, off the desk, while doing simple stuff. Leaning back in the chair relaxed vs. the normal computer position is a real bonus for the personal time vs. work time computer duties.

[chrismc]

How would you guys rate using a trackpad with Lion? Is it something that is a cool gadget, a irreplaceable tool, or just a fun way to navigate?

I have an older MacBookPro that doesn't support any of the newfangled gestures that use more than two fingers. I guess they might be fun/useful, but I'm not missing anything. I have no plans to add a trackpad- I definitely don't need more crap on my desk.

[greg mgm]

Did the upgrade yesterday, which went flawless. About 45 minutes to download and 25 to install. Didn't have to do anything really. 'puter works fine....no issues. The change in scrolling is different but I'm giving it a try. Mail is definitely a different look, just have to get used to it.

[BrianTN]

After some usage, I like Lion so far. I'm digging the new scrolling, look of iCal and Mail. Right now I have my Time Machine, external and MacBook Air encrypted. Do I need to? Probably not . The only drawback so far is I can no longer have my encrypted backups on my network to access the data wherever in my home.