> (1) Just to make sure I understand this correctly, does this mean that Mac
> OS 9.x will not be available on OSX machines after the change?
>
> (2) If so, will there be any easy way to run classic Mac applications on the
> OSX machine?
>
> (3) If yes, how will it work?
Well, you could check with Apple. It's already way down on the news page,
since the announcement is, what, ten days old?
http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2002/sep/10macosx.html
<quote>
<snip/>
... starting in January 2003, all new Mac(R) models will only boot into
Mac(R) OS X as the start-up operating system, though they will retain
the ability to run most Mac OS 9 applications through Apple’s bundled
Classic software. There are nearly 4,000 native applications now
available for Mac OS X.
<snip/>
All new Macs sold since January 2002 have had Mac OS X factory-set as
the default operating system.
<snip/>
Customers will be able to run older Mac OS 9 applications using the
Classic software that will continue to be bundled with Mac OS X. The
newly released Mac OS X v10.2 Jaguar operating system has an updated
version of Classic which launches twice as fast; awakes from sleep much
faster when AppleTalk(R) is turned on; can share the same desktop and
document folders and Internet preferences as Mac OS X; and can access
all Mac OS X file systems.
<snip/>
</quote>
So what we're losing is the ability to boot into Mac OS 9 on new
machines after January. We'll still have the emulation environment, even
with new machines sold after January.
(Hmm. Thinking about that editor thread in the macosx@perl list,
Codewarrior's editor for CW 5 is able to access pretty much all the
"hidden" directory structure of Mac OS X 10.0.x, because it is running
in emulation. I'd forgotten that. I wonder how it will do in Jaguar? And
was I able to access /etc with it? I'll have to check that when I get
home tonight.)
As to whether it's worthwhile to convert now, that depends on what your
plans are.
If you expect to continue to use Macs in your business, as soon as you
can afford a new Mac, jump in. Even if you don't have a specific need,
start with the iBook or the eMac. The new tools are worth learning, and
the best way to plot out your conversion route is to get your hands on
the new tools.
If you plan to jump to MSWindows, the same advice would hold. Get a
cheap box and start learning the tools now. (I personally don't think
it's a good idea, but it does depend on your plans and priorities. My
English teacher friend who was a Mac fanatic for five years, now that I
no longer live close enough to help her out, and now that her PC fanatic
cousin has retired and has plenty of time, finds it more convenient to
start her switch to MSWindows now. I really can't argue with that,
although I've told her that the chances of my porting the program I
wrote for her to MSWindows are not very good. Too small to interest my
employer, to much trouble for me to learn VC. I might be able to put
something together with Java/AWT or Tk, if I can break out some time.)
If you plan to retire within five years (Wouldn't it be great?) and
abandon computers altogether, and you can guarantee that the machinery
you have now or that you can buy used will serve your business until you
retire, maybe you don't want to bother with converting.
My random 2 yen.
--
Joel Rees <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
