NVMUG eNews 6/16/2001
Last updated 6/21/2001
Stephen Farber presented Mac OS X
Apple engineers have been going from user group to user group presenting OS X. Instead we had Stephen Farber who was in may ways much better. After all, the Apple engineer's job is to show you how great OS X is, and how to install it. Stephen's job was to tell us how Mac OS X really is, and to give us some hints for installing it if we choose to do so. As you will see in our first article, Stephen did very well. He even brought gifts.
1. Mac OS X presented by Stephen Farber
Articles 3 and 4 link you to the Member in the Members page. Click eNew01-06-16s at the bottom of that page to get back to this page afterward.
1. Mac OS X presented by Stephen Farber
Welcome to MAC OS X! Apple's instructions for installing OS X are very detailed, and should be followed exactly. There is no need to repeat them here. Literally do it Apple's way and meet all of their requirements. Back up first for safety - though Stephen had no problem. Also, clean up OS 9.1 before you install it.
You must install the new 9.2.1 start up disk, really a control panel. This start up determines whether you will start in OS 9.1, or in OS X. When you start up you see the happy Mac, and a springing rainbow in the corner. When Mac OS X starts up, you can select Classic to run as one of its applications. OS 9.1 then starts up within a window showing its extensions. The window is above the Mac OS X dock.
Mac OS X requires a G3 or better,(With the exception of the original G3 Powerbooks) (Some Newer Tech upgrades are reported to work , but they are no longer in business and Apple does not support them.)
On Stephen's 300 MHz G3, Mac OS X running OS 9.1 is noticeably slower than OS 9.1 running alone, but not offensively slower. The difference does not affect word processing or entering data. Mac OS X runs best under a G4, and Stephen recommends a G3 350 or faster.
Mac OS X is very good at multitasking and memory management. It will use as much RAM as is available, and generally you do not have to close applications before starting another. Multitasking with memory management means that your Mac is doing everything all the time. More RAM may be more important than a faster processor. Stephen noticed a definite improvement when he upgraded from 192 to 256 megs.
Completely think New and Different. Mac OS X is not a linear upgrade from OS 9.1.
OS 9 had four main folders, System, Applications, Documents, and Users to prepare us for Mac OS X. Mac OS X has four folders, System, Library, Applications, and Users.
Mac OS X can network, or accommodate, multiple users each within their own environment. Each could have their own preferences and own basic folders.
The System Folder contains things you'd expect, but not with the same names - not extensions or control panels. Here is where you would use Unix tools, but Stephen's advice is that, unless you are sure you know what you are doing, don't touch it. (Developers are quickly producing GUI friendly tools to modify system level properties and actions.) Libraries Folder does contain the Fonts folder with lots of new interesting new fonts, but you can also use your old ones in the Fonts folder.
The User's Folder contains a Home for each user that is created, plus a shared folder. Stephen had one for Stephen and one for Tinker that he uses to experiment with. Within Users each has a similar pattern of libraries, applications, movies, etc.
The finder is similar to browsers with an optional tool bar on the top which is customizable and includes a Back button. Connection between the desktop and Internet is practically seamless, and the Internet connect button can be dragged out of the dock at any time and put on the folder's tool bar if you like.
Think different! Educate yourself in new ways of thinking and new habits. Relearning will be challenging. Stephen advises, accept the challenge. (The system is still dynamic, so if you feel you absolutely must have some old way of doing something, Apple may yet put it in.)
Stephen says the new system is very workable, but it is a little like building a house. In the new system, you can see the kitchen sink, but it may not be immediately obvious how you turn on the hot water.
System Preferences pretty much equate to Control Panels.
When you install Mac OS X over OS 9.1 it does change OS 9.1. It installs the new startup disk control panel, and the ability to make the display bigger or smaller. Several components are added or changed in the 9.1 System folder for "Compatibility." Mac OS X makes a nice presentation to the eye including colors, shadows, and the dock. The dock is very versatile once you lean to use it. Controls in the dock are split with applications (or processes) on the left side and documents on the right.
Stephen showed utilities that show what is running. There were screens full of active processes. There are thousands of invisible processes.
Most applications are not ready for Mac OS X yet, but run under OS 9.1. When you install an application or documentation it can be for all users or in your own folder, with the finder in the system or in your Home.
Stephen showed us a new version of GraphicConverter running under Mac OS X. It looks the same as the one under 9.1. I asked about acquire because the TWAIN driver that enables TWAiN compliant scanners to acquire images has not been written yet under CarbonLib for Mac OS X. Stephen said that many things that are supposed to work don't, but most will work under Classic under OS 9.1.
Geof is used to using contextual menus, and would not like to work with Mac OS X without them. Stephen demonstrated the ease of dragging to the top from the dock instead. We noticed that you can tell when you are in OS 9.1 because the top of the window is not aqua like it is if you are within Mac OS X. Where you used the control strip to turn the volume down, you use the dock instead. It is all different!
AppleTalk is still supported, but there is no chooser. Instead you use system preferences networking and the new Print Center application. Not all old printers are supported yet.
The native floppy in the G3 is not a supported device, but a USB added on floppy is. Epson drivers have been upgraded three times, and still the print doesn't look the same. Stephen says, expect all peripherals to break. If an old peripheral works, you are blessed!
Stephen says the big investment is not the upgrade, adding memory, or installing the system - it is the learning time.
One possibility is to use ethernet to connect to your old computer and use the attached peripherals, then add new peripherals to replace them when you are ready.
Stephen says that Mac OS X, as a tool to use for business, is not ready. It is the chicken and egg problem, Mac OS X has to be out before the programmers will write the software and drivers needed, and the system will be limited until the programs and drivers are out there.
If you are thinking of buying Mac OS 9.1, Stephen recommends that you buy Mac OS X for $129 instead. Then only use OS 9.1. When you are ready, you will have Mac OS X, and you will be encouraging businesses to complete Mac OS X software. Use the startup disk, select OS 9.1, and boot from 9.1 as long as you want to. While installing Mac OS X does change OS 9.1, and some system level gizmos show up, it is nothing likely to bother you.
Geof said that MacLink doesn't work under Mac OS X. Stephen checked AppleWorks 6 and found that MacLink does work under Mac OS X with AppleWorks 6.
(Added information: If you are getting into video stuff, buy lots of hard drive space. A Firewire CD burns a lot better, at least it does when combined with the new Toast Titanium burn proof software. Also, it is amazing how well wired New Hampshire is for telecommunication. Much better than Vermont. even up in Colebrook, and specially in Conway.)
Stephen's three primary messages:
1. Forget everything you know. The new Mac OS X is different. Get ready to think of it as different and how to best use its features.
2. Buying Mac OS X is just the first of many changes and costs. It may be better to buy iMac with a burner than to try to upgrade.
3. Before installing, follow all of Apple's rules and clean up your old OS 9.1. Apple has a lot of little necessities, (HSF+, in the first 8 megs) so do it Apple's way,
This article has been edited and improved by
Stephen Farber
Strictly Freelance
2. NVMUG Web Site Update
Our web site now contains a new MEMBERS page with survey results that have been received from our members. If are willing to be added to the page, please e-mail a completed survey form. Send me an e-mail if you need a blank form.
Our review page contains a review of a new freeware program iBuild that has a lot of neat features for building hypercard like stacks and presentations, and some exasperating problems. Read about it on our web site.
Here are two member survey returns. I am sure you will find them interesting, and hope they will encourage you to send in your information if you have not done so yet.
5. Little Bits
Here is the first of two bits:
For a year I put up with resetting my extensions to the minimum in an effort not to bomb my System File when I used my scanner. I thought the problem was a conflict between the scanner and the CD burner on the same SCSI chain. Finally my wife put her foot down and insisted that I do something so she could use it. So I started a systematic process trying one thing at a time, and using TechTool to check my System File.
To my surprise I found the problem was with Presto! PageManager software which might be expensive to bring up to date.
Here is the full messy sequence. It was not as neat and logical as I would expect from any of the experts I know.
5/15/2001
Restart with Basic Mac OS 8.6 plus Scan
Scanned 4 pages with Presto! PageManager and VistaScan 2.4.3, then changed to My Settings and restarted. After restart, TechTool Pro showed System File had bombed.
Replaced System File and restarted.
Used Presto! PageManager to print the 4 images. Afterward, TechTool Pro showed that the System File had bombed again.5/25/2001
Disconnected CD-RW from SCSI and had it turned off. Put SCSI terminator on scanner.
GraphicConverter Acquire -> VistaScan 2.4.3 Preview worked, but Scan did not. Said, Scanner not ready, check SCSI connections and number and try again.
Presto! PageManager Preview and Scanned. System Folder System File bombed again. Changed System File, restarted, and it tested OK.
Reconnected CD-RW
Copied VistaScan 2.4.3 Auto and VistaScan 2.4.3 from VistiScan folder into GraphicConverter Plug In folder.
Selected GraphicConverter -> FILE -> Acquire -> VistaScan 2.4.3 Auto, scanned OK at 100 dpi. Tested with TechTool Pro and the System File was OK.
Selected GraphicConverter -> FILE -> VistaScan 2.4.3, scanned OK at 300 dpi. Tested with TechTool Pro and the System File was OK.
Conclusion: Presto! PageManager is bombing System OS 8.6.
Used Sherlock to find www.newsoft.com and Presto PageManager 2.3 for Macintosh. Their web page says Now compatible with OS 8 and iMac.
But I was not able to find other information including a trial download, the cost, or where to buy it. Left an e-mail suggestion" with my questions, and received an automated thank you for my suggestion.
So I put my VistaScan plug-ins into GraphicConverter and use GraphicConverter to acquire and edit my images. It is wonderful to have a fully functioning machine! The moral of this story is that if you have a consistent bug, take the time to do a systematic process of elimination. It is a lot better to know and to fix what is wrong than to make a wrong logical assumption and settle for workarounds that don't always work.
And here is the second little bit
A MacChamp newsletter report says that if you buy Office 2001 you should invest in Office 2001 for Macintosh: The Missing Manual,
published by O'Reilly and Associates, $24.95. As a user group member, you are eligible for a discount. O'Reilly and Associates also have published Learning Carbon, and Learning Cocoa both for Macintosh developers, and both costing $34.95. They have also just come out with AppleScript in a Nutshell
for power Macintosh users, $29.95. O'Reilly is also a source of UNIX, LINUX, PERL and other techie stuff. And they are a mover and conference sponsor in Open Source and Peer-to-Peer technologies. Let me know if you want more information about any of these, or use
All of this is a long way around to saying that LimeWire is a nice little program for accessing music, movies, software and documents on the Gnutella Network.
LimeWire is an application that enables Mac users to do peer-to-peer file sharing using the Gnutella network. Gnutella is an open-source service that offers comparable features to popular music sharing service Napster. LimeWire doesn't focus specifically on MP3 files, however -- users can share with each other whatever sort of data they want -- movies, images, etc.
LimeWire 1.4 features improved stability, faster downloads, resumable downloads, and server quality ratings, according to the download information.
The developer, LimeWire LLC, has released LimeWire 1.4 as a free download. The 7.5 MB download is ready to grab from
or from
Enough bits. Thanks for hanging-in this far.
