Optimized Storage in macOS Sierra
Storage space maxed out? No problem. macOS Sierra can help make more room by automatically storing rarely used files in the cloud and keeping them available on demand. It can also help you find and remove old files you no longer use. So there’s always room on your Mac for new files and the ones you’ve used most recently.
macOS Sierra preview page source
I am a fan of automation. I have nothing against it, as long as its behavior is crystal clear.
Send a notification every time this event happens? No problem. Tag emails matching this expression? No problem.
Deleting old files? Files I no longer use? How do you know I no longer use them? How do you classify them as junk dear macOS?
I don’t travel as I used to do but I clearly remember that before leaving the house for a trip I had a few things to make sure of:
- bring extra batteries
- make sure Dropbox icon shows that the content is synched
One glance at that icon and I was sure I could work while traveling. Anything: coding, writing, reading.
I took a look at the beta of macOS Sierra. The “Optimize Mac Storage” option is on by default. If they keep it like that I’ll need to remember to turn it off when I switch.
I also hope that this new feature doesn’t impact the development of Mac applications that create or read files. I have no idea what happens if an app expects a file that the OS has deemed obsolete or not needed.
I hope there’s a way to mark files as “this has to stay here no matter what Sierra thinks”. Maybe it’s too early to say, but I can’t deny I am concerned about this opaque behavior.