River Thames Guide app (Mac OSX version)

Rascal Joe

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The most recent upgrade to the free River Thames Guide app was for iOS, iPadOS, Android and Amazon only because of an ongoing technical issue with approval for the Mac OSX version.
Happy to report that this version has now been released and will appear in Mac users' App Store Updates over the course of the next couple of days.

If you are a Mac user and don't yet have the app, it is available via the link on the Downloads page of the app support site.

As ever, constructive feedback and/or suggestions for improvements and additions welcome.
 

Rascal Joe

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There are technical and organisational issues with copies of River Thames Guide for earlier versions of iOS or MacOS.
BUT, there is a way for you to enjoy the app from any device (although the device needs to be online): just point your browser here - you can, of course, then bookmark the site.
Do let me know if there are any issues with this approach.
 

convex

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This is an aside, you don't have to answer ... but what's Apple changed recently to cut off older users?

I am a Mac user but I've come to hate the company, especially for their closed environment IOS and increasingly controlling/exploiting practises.

In the past, I have Jailbroken iPhones if that's an alternative. I feel that the vast majority of practical apps could run on a much more simple operating system, and that many of the bells and whistle that obsolete older devices are just to force us to buy some new hardware, or for kids' games and doodahs I have absolutely no need for.
 

Rascal Joe

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www.jeffmaynard.com
This is an aside, you don't have to answer ... but what's Apple changed recently to cut off older users?

Being fair to Apple, there is a need for newer operating system releases to work with the latest hardware improvements. This can have an impact on app developers who, probably, want to take advantage of everything that is new. I now have an iPhone 12 Pro which only runs on OS 14 (being a techie I'm already on 14.2 beta 4).

Selecting the minimum OS level for any given app is a developer choice although the use of some features does limit how far back it is possible to go. Just out of interest I just checked and RTG can only go back to iOS 11.
This does limit the deployment to a number of devices.
My solution is to make the app also available from a web site (the link I posted earlier in this thread) - this is actually configured as a PWA (Progressive Web App) and will 'install' on an Android or Windows devices and, therefore, be available for off-line use; to date Apple has not chosen to configure Safari to accept PWAs so it works just as a standard web site and so requires the user to be on-line.

I do have a lot of support for the way Apple polices their App Store and the way iPhone and iPad apps are protected from interfering with each other or the OS; this is not the case with Android or Windows and why, with my Thames Valley Police volunteer hat on (Fraud and Cyber Crime Prevention Specialist) my personal recommendation is to use Apple devices for maximum protection.
 

convex

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The App Store appears to have just removed everything, say, pre- IOS10? Makes it a problem to recycle or restore perfectly adequate hardware.

I don't know, there was a cultural change a few years back where they appeared to switch to a different model of attempting to exploit regular taxes from all users, requiring considerable outlays to do so. To no real productive benefit for most users. Fine if you are on the IT gravy chain, not so much for mere mortals.

I resent not being to use their i-Devices as they also are, eg remote hardrives for carrying/serving files around, or as proper little computers.
 
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