This is the ninth part of a twelve-day series on my new year’s resolutions to become a better Mac admin. During these twelve days my book “Packaging for Apple Administrators” is on sale! (Previous Post: “Check the Competition”)
As Mac administrators we are often very deep in parts of the OS that most other users, even developers and other power users, never touch. We need support for features from a software vendor that is very specialized. Often the vendors themselves do not understand the needs of admins, even Apple.
So we need to let them know about those needs and if necessary educate them. Not just Apple but all software vendors. And this is not just in the software itself but also the deployment workflow (installers).
For Apple the main way to file bugs is bugreport.apple.com, also known as Radar. Since the interface can be a bit cumbersome, there is a nice tool called QuickRadar that will simplify the process. (Rich Trouton has a nice write-up on Quick Radar.)
If you have an Enterprise Support you should also file your bugs through that channel. Talking with your Apple Systems or Consulting Engineer can also help. They may surprise you with a solution, but at the very least they are aware of your issues and have different channels inside the company to make them heard.
Don’t expect quick resolutions. Apple is a big company and macOS a very big and complex project. However, when requests and bug reports pile up from multiple sources and channels, Apple does take notice.
Don’t forget to file bugs with other vendors, too!