Hey Mac Using Tech Heads!

[FunBobbyMucha]

I have always used a Mac--learned to compute on one in design school, and have been loyal ever since. Currently have an Imac in my studio, hoping in the next month or so to get an Ibook. I notice a lot of them feature both OS 9 and OS X. Why question is why would you need 9 if you have X?

[benburch]

1. So you can run your old OS9 Applications.

OSX sub-boots OS-9 in what is called "Classic Mode" and your old-era applications run under that shell.

Works really well, actually.

[eyesroll]

2. You need to install X on top of 9

Some of the older programs can still run through the OS9 kernel. (A non-OSX-compatible game, for instance, still might run -- OS9 will boot up in a little window and then run the program.)

I'm sure I'm not explaining it well.

[dwckabal]

4. No you don't

A machine with OS X only will still run Classic mode.

In fact, Apple only makes one desktop that is dual boot. All G5's will only run OS X.

[eyesroll]

12. Hm...I had to upgrade my 9.something to 9.something else before

I could install OSX (Jaguar) on a G3 iMac. Is this a Jaguar vs. Panther thing, an iMac vs. new Mac thing, or just me?

[truthspeaker]

3. OS X is significantly different than OS 9, it's not just an upgrade

So if you want to run older apps you have to be able to run OS 9.

OS X is essentially a whole new operating system, not an upgrade.

[dwckabal]

5. There is an issue with hardware

Any software that directly accesses hardware won't function under OS X in Classic mode.

So you would have to boot directly into OS 9 for that software to work properly.

[leftofthedial]

6. to run old apps

OS9 is called Classic Mode. It runs in a separate window, like an emulator.

If you don't need to run any old apps, you don't need it at all. I go months at a time without starting up Classic Mode.

[benburch]

8. Macjordomo

I still use the OS9 version of Macjordomo for my activism mailing lists even though there is an OSX version. The new version was doing really bad things to people's email formatting...

[Zech Marquis]

7. even with OS 9

there are still some apps--not too mnay that I can name offhand--which only run on OS 9 now. Otherwise, I really don't use Classic at all. Unless I want a quick trip to "the good old days" :evilgrin:

[benburch]

9. Some ancient games...

I still have some old games from 85 or so that still run in Classic...

[benburch]

11. Speaking of ancient games...

Goes anybody else here remember "Chipwits"?

It never ran on anything higher than a Mac Plus because it wrote to the hardware directly.

[Awsi Dooger]

13. Correct, some very old games require Classic

Let's see, I have ancient Jeopardy, Monopoly, golf, bridge and hearts games that launch Classic whenever I use them. Plus a Las Vegas style game that features virtually every type of video poker.

OS X is infinitely more stable and therefore superior, but I still prefer to have a Mac that boots into both. So no G5 at least for a while...

BTW, it is recommended that OS 9 and X should be on separate hard drives, if available, or different partitions if not. Programs like Norton can screw up a few things if a Classic version is asked to fix a disk with X on it, for example.

[jimbo fett]

10. I don't even have OS 9 on my Macs anymore. Strictly OS X (Panther).

And it rocks!!!!