[OT] Multiple macOS recommendation sought

[Curry Kenworthy]

Paul:

 > problems switching between boot partitions where
 > the Mini would forget what Startup disk it should boot from.

I like the concept of multi-boot, but never use it.
Neither Windows nor Mac seems reliable enough for that.
(I had a couple bad experiences early on that weaned me off it.)

 > We added a Big Sur VM, but playing video does not work in the VM
 > [...] We just tried a Monterey VM and it is unstable.

Virtual gives a lot of bang for the buck when it works,
but it's never, ever quite the same as a real system.

There will be false positives, false negatives, and so on.
Virtual testing only "suggests" rather than "proves" success.
(It's a tradeoff though; I've admired your omni-testing too.)

Another option is remote hardware access, where a monthly fee
gives you NN hours to log in using screen sharing, upload files,
and control machines of your choice for real testing.

I tried 2 or 3 of those services, and wish I could recommend it.
Actually I still would, but in the same bucket as VM with caveats:
despite the real hardware, it still wasn't quite the same.

The remote hardware was set up differently than a typical system,
plus networking, so still false positives, false negatives, etc.
Saved me a couple of times, messed me up a couple of times.

But a remote account will help you in certain situations,
as another tool in the box when you need it.

Phil:

 > I left VMs behind in favor of minimally-configured actual hardware.

Yes, I only trust a real Mac and a real Windows PC for serious tests.
(And at least one real iDevice and Android device.)

Ideally a couple of machines per OS, but one of each now in practice,
until/if I have the time and the need to add older machines back in.

Best wishes,

Curry Kenworthy

Custom Software Development
"Biblical Methods, Better Results"
Christian LiveCode Training and Consulting
http://livecodeconsulting.com/