<strong>Don't forget that Apple essentially jumped from System 1 to System 6. And OS 9 was a stop-gap until X was ready. Really it was 8.7/8.</strong><hr></blockquote>
How did this happen? Although I've been using macs just about since system 1, back then I was too young to care or even know what an OS was or even less what version I was using.
How did this happen? Although I've been using macs just about since system 1, back then I was too young to care or even know what an OS was or even less what version I was using.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Same here, I'm afraid. I think that the origial Mac shipped with System 1, and in the long span between that release and the 128k model, they moved internally through the system software until the 128k Mac premiered with System 6. That's me trying to remember what I've read. I have no recollection of the transition. My Mac OS memories really begin with System 7.
Systems 1-5 were all quite similar. They all ran exclusively on a single floppy disk, and they all allowed only one program to be open at a time.
System 6 was different... it was revolutionary. It included a new thing called "Multi-Finder," allowing you to run as many programs as you wanted at once, memory permitting. Systems 1-5 had also been released quite quickly, one after the other. In fact, since the 128k and 512k Macs were really just sealed boxes that had no expansion capabilities, getting a new system was a lot like updating the firmware on your iPod - except instead of downloading the update, you'd just bring some floppy disks to your friendly neighborhood Apple Authorized Service Provider, and they'd load the most recent system software for you (for free). System 6 was also free. I think it came out in 1989 or something.
System 7 came out in 1991. Although you could use a boot floppy with it, it was recommended that you have a hard drive to use it. It had multi-finder enabled all the time, keeping in line with the evolving Macintosh platform. It was also free, just like before, but instead of taking 1-5 floppies, it took something like 8 or 10.
System 7.5, the first major upgrade to system 7, came out in 1994 or '95... it was shortly after the release of the PPC. So you could actually run a special PPC-enabled version of system 7.1 (version 7.1.2) on a first-run 6100, 7100 or 8100. 7.5 came out soon after, and just before the release of the G3 in 1997, 7.6 came out.
The long-anticipated OS 8.0 came out in 1997, along with the G3s. The rev. A iMac used 8.1, and the rev. B used 8.5 which was the first to fully support USB.
It's kinda funny to think that the original iMac used a system so old, it's even usable on an old 68040. People have even hacked OS 8 onto some 68030s. What's more... the last 68040 Mac was the PowerBook 190, which was released in 1996, just a year before the G3 came out.
All I know is, my very first computer was a Mac SE and I loved the hell out of it. I spent so many hours staring at that thing, doing everything from creating my own banners (printing em out on my style writer) to playing games like the Manhole and MacMan (kinda like PacMan but with a lil Mac guy).. those were the days!
Systems 1-5 went by really quickly. Systems 2 and 5 were so terrible that they were recalled and replaced as quickly as Apple could manage, and System 3 was basically just a shim until Apple could roll out what became System 4.
MultiFinder first appeared as a third-party hack during the reign of System 4.
I for one hope that OS X is very little like System 7. There were only a couple of good releases, the 7.5.x series was plagued with bloat, performance problems and silly technologies and stability problems that 7.6 only began to address.
I assume that OS X will be with us for a long time, but as the new Mac OS, not the new System 7. So instead of System 1 - OS 9, we'll have OS X 10.1 - 10.9, and so on. I can only hope that Apple doesn't start losing focus around 10.7 like they did last time.
Comments
One wet dream coming up...
Lemon Bon Bon
<strong>Don't forget that Apple essentially jumped from System 1 to System 6. And OS 9 was a stop-gap until X was ready. Really it was 8.7/8.</strong><hr></blockquote>
How did this happen? Although I've been using macs just about since system 1, back then I was too young to care or even know what an OS was or even less what version I was using.
<strong>
How did this happen? Although I've been using macs just about since system 1, back then I was too young to care or even know what an OS was or even less what version I was using.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Same here, I'm afraid. I think that the origial Mac shipped with System 1, and in the long span between that release and the 128k model, they moved internally through the system software until the 128k Mac premiered with System 6. That's me trying to remember what I've read. I have no recollection of the transition. My Mac OS memories really begin with System 7.
Systems 1-5 were all quite similar. They all ran exclusively on a single floppy disk, and they all allowed only one program to be open at a time.
System 6 was different... it was revolutionary. It included a new thing called "Multi-Finder," allowing you to run as many programs as you wanted at once, memory permitting. Systems 1-5 had also been released quite quickly, one after the other. In fact, since the 128k and 512k Macs were really just sealed boxes that had no expansion capabilities, getting a new system was a lot like updating the firmware on your iPod - except instead of downloading the update, you'd just bring some floppy disks to your friendly neighborhood Apple Authorized Service Provider, and they'd load the most recent system software for you (for free). System 6 was also free. I think it came out in 1989 or something.
System 7 came out in 1991. Although you could use a boot floppy with it, it was recommended that you have a hard drive to use it. It had multi-finder enabled all the time, keeping in line with the evolving Macintosh platform. It was also free, just like before, but instead of taking 1-5 floppies, it took something like 8 or 10.
System 7.5, the first major upgrade to system 7, came out in 1994 or '95... it was shortly after the release of the PPC. So you could actually run a special PPC-enabled version of system 7.1 (version 7.1.2) on a first-run 6100, 7100 or 8100. 7.5 came out soon after, and just before the release of the G3 in 1997, 7.6 came out.
The long-anticipated OS 8.0 came out in 1997, along with the G3s. The rev. A iMac used 8.1, and the rev. B used 8.5 which was the first to fully support USB.
It's kinda funny to think that the original iMac used a system so old, it's even usable on an old 68040. People have even hacked OS 8 onto some 68030s. What's more... the last 68040 Mac was the PowerBook 190, which was released in 1996, just a year before the G3 came out.
Calling 10.11 10.12.
However I wonder if Apple would be sued when it hit
10-10-220?
[ 01-19-2003: Message edited by: Mac X ]</p>
<strong>Mac OS 11
our OS goes to eleven!!!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Haaaaahahahahahaahahah. Good one!
OS X Extreme
share the horror
Of course, Apple seems fond of the word "extreme" nowadays... Quartz Extreme, Airport Extreme...
<strong>Holy crap. "OS Xtreme" or "OS X Extreme" is pretty bad... maybe "OS Xtreem!"
Of course, Apple seems fond of the word "extreme" nowadays... Quartz Extreme, Airport Extreme...</strong><hr></blockquote>
Don't forget Price Extreme and Delays Extreme.
<strong>Mac OS 11
our OS goes to eleven!!!</strong><hr></blockquote>
MultiFinder first appeared as a third-party hack during the reign of System 4.
I for one hope that OS X is very little like System 7. There were only a couple of good releases, the 7.5.x series was plagued with bloat, performance problems and silly technologies and stability problems that 7.6 only began to address.
I assume that OS X will be with us for a long time, but as the new Mac OS, not the new System 7. So instead of System 1 - OS 9, we'll have OS X 10.1 - 10.9, and so on. I can only hope that Apple doesn't start losing focus around 10.7 like they did last time.
As for what I call it, I just call it "OS Ten."
[ 01-23-2003: Message edited by: Amorph ]</p>
<strong>
'cause Steve just looooves sci-fi movies, and Mac OS Y sounds quite futurish..
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Y not go straight for OS Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz?
<strong>One of the above post hit on a very good idea.
Calling 10.11 10.12.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Ten Eleven? This is not a 24/7 store U Know..
Either way, the name has already been settled. "Mac OS Eleven"