ETS on a Mac

I would also welcome ETS for Mac. It's honestly my only application on Windows left, the only reason to renew VMware year per year, the only reason to stay with Intel architecture (for the time being). It's a shame. In addition, I believe, the target audience for KNX installations in their home (beside the Installateurs) are somehow people be able to afford a Mac computer.

Also very much looking forward to macOS support.

That's simply not the truth. For many years one of the most used operating systems, including the electricians, has been Android (Linux). Windows has been in the minority for a long time and its market share is shrinking every year. Many SmartHome experts and technician in particular use Apple/Mac.

absolutely right

unbelievable we are in the year 2024 and there is a new ETS 6 that is completely useless for Mac users. ETS is like blackberry, as soon someone starts to offer an alternative, ETS is gonna to be death…

Since I was unable to conclusively google this before trying out:

ETS5 runs fine on M2 Macbook Pro running officially supported Windows 11 ARM via Parallels.

Zero problems so far identifying license from dongle and installing several plugins. Big relief as I had to move away from my old Intel Mac and Win 10 X64 via Bootcamp.

Still, proper Mac version and a business model catering to prosumers who programs their own installation with many devices (20+) but only a very limited number of installations (1-3?) is desperately needed. Not all able to program are professional installers who have incoming revenue from deploying KNX on behalf of customers.

That's not the point... One could easily argue that 'well over 80% of the electrical trade has a Windows operating system', due to the lack of choice offered by software manufacturers. This forces people to use Windows ecosystem in the first place... If the proper tools are available, I guess the usage figures might be more in balance.

The Mac has no good reputation regarding 'field work', and yes, is highly valued in graphical sector, but just as much in the development sector. More and more projects require KNX to interconnect with other systems.  Running servers (linux) and connecting to other dedicated services becomes way more mainstream in order to create true smart buildings.

From that perspective, I would assume a cross-platform software would be the way to go.
If ETS 6 was written from the ground up, it's a missed opportunity for it to support multi platforms.

Support for Windows ARM (more specific; a complete move to 64-bit) would be a good second, since I have no clue how big the potential Mac userbase is for ETS software. That would give mac users at least a workable option when intel hardware is phased out, and would also be beneficial for all users, if not now then it would be in the future.

Same here... already waiting 5 years... still working with Winddows virtual machine, only for ETS5 :S...

It’s far more easy to develop software on an OS that’s much more stable and better integrated with the hardware instead of a fragmented Eco system that has to run on al kind of different hardware flavours ;).

The Windows versions is working, so stop the development here…the Windows OS architecture is almost the same for 15 years now :).

Let’s build a new more stable platform om MacOSX :)

I've been working with KNX for a long time now. The components of the KNX manufacturers are mostly very good, stable and reliable (apart from a few minor exceptions).  The only thing that bothers me extremely about the KNX system is the ETS.

Unfortunately, I think the development of the ETS is currently going in a completely wrong direction. Right now I'm working with ETS6, one of the worst software products I've ever had to use.

But if I had one wish for the KNX association, it would be an ETS that can be installed independently of the operating system. Not just Windows 32bit. But also Windows ARM as well as MacOS and Linux support. (Linux would be most important to me, but since MacOS is also a UNIX operating system, an ETS that runs under MacOS should also be easy to run under Linux.)

Definitely love to see Mac version.

"Wenn ich persönlich für mich spreche, würde ich gerne eine Mac-Version sehen, aber da das Leben nicht immer eine Schüssel Kirschen ist, würde ich lieber eine verbesserte (schnellere!) Windows-Version als eine halb-gut funktionierende Windows-Version und eine weitere semi-good-führende Mac-Version."

same! Please design a fast version of ETS! No slow, colourful software. the design of ETS5 with the functions from ETS6 would be great!

@Roland Klöffel

Thanks Michael....I fully Agree... please stop the OS War in this topic. And KNX... please give users "choice"... let them use the OS they like. The software can't be that difficult to develop for multi platform infrastructure.

Although an ARM version could somehow mediate a short term solution.  When you look at the global market, more and more Mac computers are used professionally in the high end section.  I work at an IT firm where literally 95% works with Mac.  There's 4,5% of linux users on development machines and perhaps one or two project managers using windows...

The point is, mac's are more and more finding their way as professional work machines, and having ETS on them would be awesome.  I now kept my old MacBook Pro with bootcamp, just for ETS...

I would also welcome ETS on a Mac. I do not have windows. The market share of Mac OS is 15% worldwide. In the US it is even 25% and in Europe 15%. High income countries have higher shares like UK 24% and Switzerland 25%. In my view this is a big opportunity for KNX and time to offer ETS on Mac OS.

Same here. Looking forward being able to use ETS on my macOS. 

Disagree on Martijn Cobussen‘s post. Yes, since Steve Jobs wasn’t responsible anymore for Apples quality, the quality went down. However, it’s still better and the devices more quality than any e.g. Dell, HP, Lenovo equipment, and for sure, I compare with the business grade systems, also Surface isn’t nice, although works a bit better. Windows is still a shame, the GUI worse, I always be happy not to use my VM with Windows. And with the new ARM processors MacOS and MacBooks are really great devices again, and Intel also showed on many other issues, that their quality is also getting worser, but with ARM it’s much harder for ETS on Mac, as also VM won’t work anymore.

+1 for porting ETS to macOS.

I would assume not.  Even more, if they were working on it, I would not announce it until ready for (public) beta.
Porting ETS to macOS would require a complete re-write of the existing application into a platform which is OS independent, or create a complete different stand alone application, an endeavour which is not an easy task.

However, I believe, many professionals use Mac computers and mac's have become (more) mainstream in the high-end business range. It would most certainly help to have a Mac version, as I could ditch my old windows just for the sake of ETS.

If any version were to be released, I would love to sign up for the beta program, as a product owner and business analyst in a scrum team, I am used to validate and test software. :-) 

I’ve been running KNX on Windows 11 Arm on a MacBook Pro M2 via Parallels for a year now. Have had no issues.

It would be awesome to use ETS on a Mac. I think, there is huge fanbase looking forward to this feature. It is really annoying to start bootcamp every time you change only a small setting. It would be so much nicer if it will work directly on a Mac on a native app.

Same here. Virtual machine is the only option. ETS6 with new Mac works ok

Please Martijn don’t make it a Windows vs. Apple topic.. every person can decide for himself what kind of OS / Ecosystem he would like to use.

The more OS versions that are supported the better…

And even for 5.000,- euro’s I can’t find a Windows Laptop that gives me the same experience that i have with MacOSX ;).

I Agree, Alfred.  I have a M1 MacBook Pro, and one year back, it was still fringe science to run X86 apps in parallels...
It this works now, then that is a step up.  But it remains a compromise.  I used it on my former 2018 intel MacBook Pro in a virtual machine, it worked, but was not as performant...  I now use that MacBook with bootcamp, only for ETS which is a much smoother experience. (works flawlessly).

I am myself a prosumer, I built my entire KNX house setup myself and I consider myself a tech enthousiast to continuously improve on my setup.  I have a pro license only for myself, it's expensive, just to program, but part of the total cost for me.  Aunt no other solution. (and no, for mission critical systems, I don't go Jack Sparrow)

Today the architecture exist to use universal code that can be ported/run on multiple OS'es easily.
But It can be difficult if you have to re-write your code from the ground up.  However, all bigger software applications have. And to keep up with future computing, rewriting old legacy code is inevitable. 

I hope to see a MacOS version soon, as it would integrate more in my personal setup, but I am convinced that there are more professionals out there using (or rather can't be using) their MacBooks 

absolutely right

Thumbs up for Mac support! Any news on this topic from developers side?

Count me in as early beta tester!