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carterx · 09:25 PM

Almost spanning a decade and OS X (pronounced as "O"-"S"-"10" not "O"-"S"-"X") has gone through seven major OS revisions, eight including the up and coming OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and today I decide to to actually install each of the OS X versions excluding Public Beta which I do not have and just have a quick review for myself of the differences from version to version which I happen to take screen shots to share my OS X review today.

Full article Mac OS X Over The Years

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Big Mac · Aug 12, 2009, 09:16 PM

Login required

carterx · Aug 12, 2009, 09:28 PM

Link is fixed now. Had it locked off while I was working on it. Sorry but working now

shifuimam · Aug 12, 2009, 09:34 PM

I did something similar with an old iBook I had laying around - started with 10.0 and went from there. Versions previous to 10.3 are too painful to really use regularly, IMO.

Brien · Aug 12, 2009, 09:49 PM

I almost forgot how bad the pinstripes, overly done shadows (menubar text had SHADOWS?) and old buttons looked.

hyteckit · Aug 12, 2009, 09:57 PM

It will always be OSeX to me.

carterx · Aug 12, 2009, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by hyteckit

It will always be OSeX to me.

Ya, I say it a lot of the time myself as OS "X" but then always remember that I should be saying OS "10" but always forget

- - e r i k - - · Aug 12, 2009, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by Brien

I almost forgot how bad the pinstripes, overly done shadows (menubar text had SHADOWS?) and old buttons looked.

It was different and sexy back then. Heh.

I remember not being able to wait for the OS X beta and resorted to installing OS X like themes on OS 9. Good times

- - e r i k - - · Aug 12, 2009, 10:55 PM

There was once a time when Software Update was used for third party applications:

What happened?

carterx · Aug 12, 2009, 11:06 PM

I'm unsure what other applications were included. Guess IE because there was no other main browser like today's Safari.

CharlesS · Aug 12, 2009, 11:15 PM

IE may have been a third party application, but it was bundled with the OS, thus making part of OS X and thus Software Updateable.

What happened is that Safari came out, and there was no need to bundle Microsoft's terrible browser anymore.

- - e r i k - - · Aug 12, 2009, 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

IE may have been a third party application, but it was bundled with the OS, thus making part of OS X and thus Software Updateable.

Yeah, I realised that as soon as I got to the 10.3 page and Safari 1 was released. The whole Microsoft-Apple deal included having IE shipped with the OS as the default browser so it made sense for it to be included in Software Update.

At least with SL we'll get third party printer updates from SU.

64stang06 · Aug 12, 2009, 11:53 PM

Your version updates for Tiger and Panther are the same...

Big Mac · Aug 13, 2009, 03:28 AM

Yeah, IE was treated as a part of the OS at that time.

Spheric Harlot · Aug 13, 2009, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by Brien

I almost forgot how bad the pinstripes, overly done shadows (menubar text had SHADOWS?) and old buttons looked.

They were a lovely match for the hardware of the time. 'Twas the era of gumdrop iMacs and smurfMacs.

Spheric Harlot · Aug 13, 2009, 07:42 AM

...

Laminar · Aug 13, 2009, 09:31 AM

Nice article. Very nostalgic.

Jens Peter · Aug 13, 2009, 11:31 AM

Thank for a trip down memory lane

Dakar V · Aug 13, 2009, 11:38 AM

Panther has the best box hands down. 'Course its enhanced by following the worst box of all time, Jaguar.

Andrew Stephens · Aug 13, 2009, 11:59 AM

aah the memories. I switched my design studio macs to OS X at v10.1. We all then spent 99.5% of our day running classic until 10.3 came out.

Brien · Aug 13, 2009, 01:47 PM

Hehe. Too bad none of the DP's are on there. Quite a bit changed from DP1 to 10.0.

carterx · Aug 13, 2009, 01:50 PM

What exactly does "DP1" stand for?

Brien · Aug 13, 2009, 02:01 PM

Developer Preview 1. It was the first version of OS X for developers to play around with. Well, technically that may have been OS X Server 1.0, but that was an altogether different beast.

Chuckit · Aug 13, 2009, 02:04 PM

DP = "Developer Preview"

They were the pre-beta versions of OS X.

carterx · Aug 13, 2009, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by Brien

Hehe. Too bad none of the DP's are on there. Quite a bit changed from DP1 to 10.0.

Thanks for the request ..... looking into this now. Found sources so please stay tuned and I'll see what I can get added

Chuckit · Aug 13, 2009, 02:21 PM

One really interesting thing is that until DP3, Mac OS X used an OS 9 Platinum-style theme (and what became the Finder was still very OpenStep-ish).

olePigeon · Aug 13, 2009, 02:33 PM

Rhapsody and OS X Server 1.0 used a cross between Platinum and OpenStep.

carterx · Aug 13, 2009, 02:37 PM

A few OS X DP2 images from Ars Technica

CharlesS · Aug 13, 2009, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

One really interesting thing is that until DP3, Mac OS X used an OS 9 Platinum-style theme (and what became the Finder was still very OpenStep-ish).

Did that become the Finder? I didn't have the DPs, but my understanding was that the early DPs still had the Finder based on OpenStep's file browser, before they rewrote it in Carbon as an example of eating their own dog food.

Chuckit · Aug 13, 2009, 04:03 PM

Nah, you're right. That was still the OpenStep file browser. I just meant "the thing they had in place of the Finder."

Big Mac · Aug 13, 2009, 04:07 PM

Yeah, that was the early OS X Finder before it got rewritten.

DCJ001 · Aug 13, 2009, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by hyteckit

It will always be OSeX to me.

Then you'll always be mispronouncing a simple Roman numeral.

Dakar V · Aug 13, 2009, 04:28 PM

And you'll always be the one considered uptight about it.

P · Aug 13, 2009, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

Yeah, IE was treated as a part of the OS at that time.

Quick, which other third-party app shipped with the OS and was updated through Software Update?

CharlesS · Aug 13, 2009, 05:51 PM

Hmm, lesee...

Was StuffIt Expander initially bundled with the OS before they developed BOMArchiveHelper?

carterx · Aug 13, 2009, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Hmm, lesee...

Was StuffIt Expander initially bundled with the OS before they developed BOMArchiveHelper?

It was included up to 10.3 I believe as you then needed to download stuff-it to open certain files.

Brien · Aug 13, 2009, 07:29 PM

Yeah, unfortunately ever since Aladdin got absorbed StuffIt's just gotten worse and worse.

@CharlesS: I'd forgotten that DP3 was the first DP with Aqua, but looking back I'm glad they didn't stick with Platinum. I do miss tabbed windows though.

CharlesS · Aug 13, 2009, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by Brien

I do miss tabbed windows though.

Try DragThing. It has a tabbed dock option that provides a great replacement for the old tabbed windows.

carterx · Aug 13, 2009, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Try DragThing. It has a tabbed dock option that provides a great replacement for the old tabbed windows.

Good idea, have a look at it here, it's free to try

http://www.dragthing.com/english/about.html

P · Aug 14, 2009, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Hmm, lesee...

Was StuffIt Expander initially bundled with the OS before they developed BOMArchiveHelper?

Correct. It was updated through Software Update once, I think.

carterx · Aug 14, 2009, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by P

Correct. It was updated through Software Update once, I think.

I find that at times Stuffit Expander is still needed. Not nearly as much but I have been caught trying to open a file that Mac OS X can not open itself.

carterx · Aug 14, 2009, 09:37 AM

Article is now one page for easier viewing.

webraider · Aug 14, 2009, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Did that become the Finder? I didn't have the DPs, but my understanding was that the early DPs still had the Finder based on OpenStep's file browser, before they rewrote it in Carbon as an example of eating their own dog food.

The first finders were like Openstep. However, that changed and they quickly grafted the OS 9 finder ontop of it. There was no Dock, only the Macintosh HD on the desktop, and the trash can and it looked very much like OS 9, I don't know why that wouldn't have worked, but I kinda wished it had.

I actually love the simplicity of the Early Mac OS's

Spheric Harlot · Aug 14, 2009, 12:05 PM

Yeah, but you had to love the simplicity of early Mac needs, as well.

One person - one machine - one task - at one time.

That was enough.

carterx · Aug 14, 2009, 12:09 PM

OS was a great, simple and rather fast OS in it's day. Was still supporting OS 9 up to about 3 years ago where it was used along side OS X with Classic mode. No more now running CLassic as we no longer run the old Quark

Brien · Aug 14, 2009, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by carterx

I find that at times Stuffit Expander is still needed. Not nearly as much but I have been caught trying to open a file that Mac OS X can not open itself.

Try The Unarchiver. Faster and less bloat-y.

carterx · Aug 14, 2009, 04:03 PM

user "icemanjc" from MacOSX.com found this page which is amazing. Has screens from every OS up to 10.3 Panther.

Must check this out: GUIdebook > Screenshots

DCJ001 · Aug 14, 2009, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by hyteckit

It will always be OSeX to me.

Originally Posted by DCJ001

Then you'll always be mispronouncing a simple Roman numeral.

Originally Posted by Dakar V

And you'll always be the one considered uptight about it.

Not at all.

But I usually question the intelligence of people who make mistakes like this; especially if they continue to make mistakes like this after someone explains why, logically, they are in error.

Feel free to say "OSeX" for as long as you'd like.

webraider · Aug 14, 2009, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

Yeah, but you had to love the simplicity of early Mac needs, as well.

One person - one machine - one task - at one time.

That was enough.

Actually OS 9 handled multiple users (not as well as OS X, but it was a start) but it also handled multiple applications running as well. Yet the simplicity remained. What makes it simple is the old apple philosophy, you don't have to see what you don't really need. For example, Why look at an icon of the CD drive when there is no CD in it. It will appear when you need it (ie... when you put it in) and will disappear when you eject it, unlike Windows. The icon represents the volume and not the drive which to me is more intuitive. But to me, OS X could organize Multiple users much better. Whey do I need to see a "users" folder, then a home folder next to everyone else's? I should see just a folder with my name (should be customizable) with only my stuff in it at the root level, not three levels deep. There could be a special mode that you log in as to see all the folders or just manage the accounts, but it could be much more intuitive.

All this to say Just because OS X does more things, is no excuse. It could be.. Simpler.

carterx · Aug 14, 2009, 10:50 PM

Images have now been added for "OS X Public Beta"