Edmund Storms wrote:
> I have heard that Apple is more ruthless about backward compatibility. >> Microsoft cannot afford to be, because if the new Windows does not work with >> old hardware, people will eventually throw away their hardware and buy a >> Mac! >> > > I don't know what you mean about ruthless. Before OS10 came along, all > versions up to OS9 were backward compatible on the Mac. So OS10 does not run on older machines? That's what I read. I don't have a Mac so I don't know the details. Wikipedia and other sources describe a sharp break between 9 and 10, that you would not see in the PC world. That is, a situation where the computer you bought a year ago (or even last week!) does not run a new operating system. It seems the so-called "classic" Macs were left high and dry when OS 10 came out. A newer machine could emulate and older one, but an older one could not run the newer OS. The upcoming OS 10 version will only run on the Intel machines, which is a big break from the past. I assume it will handle the older peripherals, however. That is an easier task with the Mac than with the PC. Windows does not work on older machines without enough memory or speed, but that can't be helped. There is no sudden break like there is between OS9 and OS10, or between the Power PC and Intel. In addition, all versions were plug and play and required very little effort > to attach new hardware. I gather they use a well defined interface, so It is not as hard to accommodate peripherals as it is the older internal hardware. With PCs there are so many peripherals it is difficult to keep up with them, but it is the peripheral manufacturer's responsibility. - Jed
