Buying a new G4 mac (450 mhz). Anyone know of any issues with graphics and/or dtp software/hardware that would make a switch from 8.6 to OS 9 painful? Using the usuals....Quark 4.1, Illustrator/Freehand 8, Photoshop 5.5, Painter 6, Golive 4, Debabilizer, etc.

Will have a scsi card with at least 3 on the chain....scanner, cd burner, jaz....Font management with suitcase 8....

I notice that the new G4s are shipping with OS9. Can you get one with 8.6 if you want?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thx.

Stay with 8.6 as if your life depended on it. I speak from experience. Painful and expensive experience.

[Damien]

There's nothing wrong with OS 9. As an Apple technician in Manhattan, I've installed OS 9 on dozens of different Macs and had few problems that I have encoutered have now all been solved by applying the appropriate software patches from respective companies. For instance, there are essential updates for ATM and Office 98.

Often I'm called out to do cleanup on a client's machine after he/she installed OS 9. Their machine suddenly stops working. And 90% of the time it's because the client did not clean-install the OS. I solve the problem by clean-installing OS 9 and integrating the user's preferences and 3rd-party software as needed! Almost every time, OS 9 is happier by doing a careful install. Applying it on top of a used or questionable OS 8.x system is asking for trouble.

I've been using OS 9 since August (beta), and have encountered very few problems that couldn't be solved by a careful application of logical updates and standard trouble-shooting.

You can look for OS 9 updates at http://www.versiontracker.com .

Calling OS9 a failure just because of your single experience is a mistake. Personally, I think OS 9 is more stable than OS 8.6 and is a good move forward for Apple as it serves as a steppingstone to OS X.

------------------
Damien Barrett
http://www.mrbarrett.com

[penginkun]

I've been on both sides of the equation.

When I tried installing 9 on my 7500, I wound up with my MDB being toasted. Several reformats, and reinstalls of 8.6 later the thing still isn't quite right.

OTOH, at work I've installed and see 9 work like a charm...well, not quite perfectly, but near enough. I've never encountered problems on the same level I did with my 7500, but there have been some real oddities.

Most likely your machine will come pre-configured with 9. If so, it should be stable for regular use.

Mr. Barrett's positive, but oh-so-qualified post notwithstanding (sounds like a LOT of trouble shooting going on to get OS 9 working), I'd run from 9. I've tried every conceivable way to get it working on my G4 450 w/ 512 MB. It has severe problems, and you should wait for the upgrade.

But don't just listen to me, or Mr. Barrett, or Mr. DeLisse. Go Apple's support forum @apple.com, read the horror stories, and make up your own mind.

penguinkun is right, though, that you may not have a choice, buying now, and the pre-installed OS 9s are apparently much improved. I think that 9 is flawed, but will be fixed. The current OS 9 commercial disks are flawed, must be replaced. DON'T UPGRADE.

Final rant: you're obviously an artist - judging by your software list. OS 9's great leap forward is Sherlock 2 - I've used it in the store, it's cool, but it is NOT art. You've got bettter ways to spend your time than debugging an OS 9 upgrade.

[Keda]

Ive put 9 on several computer and not run into any problems-knock on wood-yet.

-do a clean install
-get the updates before hand

I go graphics and it seems fine. Im going to upgrade at home when I get around to it.

[Herr Newton]

Quark 4.1 has a UI stall issue with MacOS 9.0 and ATM, related to the patched FontManager. Manifests itself as a 1-30 second freeze when deselecting a text box -after- entering/modifying its contents.

[rudeandy]

How do you do a clean install....? I just got an iBook with 8.6 preinstalled...argh...and I'm wondering if I shoudl get 9...btw...I've always been a PC guy but I think i'm being converted...OS X is gonna kick some arse...

Thanks,
Andrew

Originally posted by Troubled Childhood:
Final rant: you're obviously an artist - judging by your software list. OS 9's great leap forward is Sherlock 2 - I've used it in the store, it's cool, but it is NOT art. You've got bettter ways to spend your time than debugging an OS 9 upgrade.

I'm a Graphics geek, although I work primarily in 3D and the Web. I have had very few problems with OS9. I don't use Quark (at home), so I can't attest to how well it does (or not) work on 9. Illustrator is fine, photoshop 5.5, Animation Master 2000, BBEdit, RayDream Studio and Pixels 3D all work fine - if you have the latest updates.

Please also note that I'm running on a relatively stock S900 (352MB memory) - a TOTALLY unsupported machine. I needed to get CD Speed Tools just to get my 3rd party CD-ROM drive to work with OS 8.5, and that holds true to OS 9.

All in all, works great! Well, all but Suitecase 8. It still tends to crash mu box for some reason. That and Toast 3.5x...