macOS Archive

"The wait is over! Apple is excited to announce our first official Developer Preview of Java 1.4.1 for Mac OS X version 10.2! The preview includes almost all of the 1.4.1 VM and UI implementation--much more complete than the version supplied at WWDC. It's now posted on ADC for download, and is accessible to all ADC members, Online->Premier. The seed is named "J2SE 1.4.1 Developer Preview 2" and has been posted to the "Download Software" section of the ADC web site. If you're not an ADC member, now is a good time to join." Read the announcement here.

"I recently got a copy of my new book, 'Mac OS X for Unix Geeks', and as I anxiously await its arrival in bookstores, I have a little time to reflect. So, I'm offering the top ten tips that I gathered while working on the book. These tips will show you the differences between Mac OS X and other flavors of Unix; help you find the bits that resemble the Unix you are used to; and even feather your nest with XFree86 and ports of popular open source applications." Read the article over at O'Reilly.

An Unsanity developer writes in his blog that MacOSX, by using the CISC-optimized Mach-O ABI, which is derived directly from NeXT, can see a decrease of speed of up to 12%. Attempts to rewrite that ABI would result in breakage of applications and binary compatibility.

The journaled file system, which will run atop the Mac's traditional HFS file scheme, will be switched off by default; users will be able to switch it on via the command line, sources said. They reported that while "Elvis" runs in the background, enabling Journaling FS will slow current system performance by 10 percent to 15 percent. Read the full report at eWeek.

"Regular readers of this column already know there is no lost love between me and GUIs. In fact, I rarely use them; I do most of my work from the regular console, using a variety of tools to do all the things I'd ever need from a GUI: Multiple terminal sessions (screen, Linux virtual terminals, Emacs, vim) and a good e-mail client (nothing beats pine)." Read the article at Byte.

The MacOSX 10.2.1 Update (via OSX's Software Update) delivers enhancements and improvements to the following applications, technologies and components: Mail, Image Capture, Help Viewer, graphics, printing, networking, Rendezvous, Kerberos, USB, FireWire, SCSI device compatibility and includes additional Digital Hub peripheral device support. Also, iTunes 3.0.1 was released today, while in related news, here is a review of MacOSX 10.2 along with the availability of the high end PowerMac.

The latest release of Mac-On-Linux now includes MacOS X support. Check out these screenshots of MacOSX 10.2, also known as Jaguar, running under Linux. Please note that Mac-On-Linux is not an emulator, but it's more like VMWare, therefore, it can only run on some PPC hardware.

Mac OS X users know when a product doesn't quite "feel right", and so do product reviewers. Despite the similarities that seem to exist between the Microsoft Windows 95/98/2000 and Windows XP user interfaces (UI) and the Aqua interface of Mac OS X, there are significant appearance and behavioral differences. A successful Windows to Mac OS X transition requires abandoning key elements of the Windows user experience in favor of the Mac OS X alternatives. This document outlines typical areas of concern when porting a Microsoft Windows application to Mac OS X, and provides guidance for transitioning to the Mac OS X UI.

"From the moment Mac OS X was announced, one of its most compelling features for me was its ability to run Mac and Unix software at the same time. It meant I wouldn't have to keep multiple systems around, booting into one or the other as needed. And now, with the release of version 10.2 (aka Jaguar), OS X is a better Unix than ever. Make no mistake: Mac OS X has been a real Unix from the start, albeit one that could actually run desktop apps like Microsoft Office, Photoshop, and BBEdit, and let you play Warcraft III and (soon) Halo. But now, Jaguar's Unix underpinnings have been given a much-needed refresh." Read the editorial at ZDNet.

I arrive home to find a spiffy package from ADC... Look it's Jaguar! The excitement was racing to install this upgrade but then I thought what about my data? I wanted to partition my drive differently for Jaguar so I did what I would do on any of my systems. I tared my home directory double checking the file contents to make sure I got all my hidden files. I then uploaded the tar to my server via scp and checked the md5sum of the file. Everything looked good I was ready to go!

"Using Mac OS X is like touring a land of fabulous ancient treasures - with a tourist authority that's still busy renovating them, and that hasn't quite completed the infrastructure. The sights can be breathtaking, but the roads are potholed and incomplete, and sometimes you have to get out and push." Read the review at TheRegister. More than 100,000 copies of OS X 10.2 are sold worldwide during its first weekend, and 50,000 people visited company stores Friday night, ZDNews reports.

Almost a year after our much discussed Mac OS X 10.1 review, it is time to write down our impressions from the new version of OSX, Jaguar 10.2. Is Jaguar worth the full $129 USD? Dive in for more. Update: Slashdot seems to agree with our review, at least on the backwards compatibility issue.

"The rev formerly known as Pinot has been renamed Panther, sources reported, hinting that the faux-fur motif of the Jaguar release will continue when Panther ships in early 2003. Sources this month told eWEEK that the Panther release will mark another step away from MacOS 9, the "classic" MacOS that Apple continues to upgrade for compatibility with older applications. They said Apple is planning to "block" next-generation Macs preloaded with Panther from booting into MacOS 9 although the company will continue to support applications running within MacOSX's Classic environment." The report can be found at eWeek. In other Mac news, Microsoft is readying MSN for OSX.

Tim O'Reilly made an informal survey of some members of the Geek Elite and confirmed that Mac OS X has generated significant enthusiasm. He also found that Linux and Unix users are even more likely than sold school Mac users to make the switch to OS X. Read more at O'Reilly's Mac Dev Center.