macOS Archive

AppleScript Primer for Mac OS X

Eugenia Loli 2002-02-08 macOS 13 Comments

"AppleScript is a built-in Macintosh automation tool that gives users the ability to control the operating system and several of their favorite applications. While this powerful scripting system has always had a loyal following of Macintosh aficionados and publishing professionals, the release of Mac OS X 10.1.2 may mean AppleScript is ready to strut its stuff in front of a wider audience. Here are some of the exciting AppleScript developments on MacOSX..." Read the rest of the article at OReillyNet.

Open-Sourcing the Apple

Submitted by Zac Woodall 2002-02-03 macOS 2 Comments

This is an old article (Nov. 2000), but it is still a good read. Jordan Hubbard, the well known FreeBSD leader who later got a job at Apple's kernel team, had written this interesting MacOSX review for Salon.com. His article was from a different point of view than other review articles at the time: the open source hacker who tries to find and uncover the UNIX underneath OSX.

Windows Media Player For MacOSX Available

Eugenia Loli 2002-01-08 macOS 9 Comments

At Macworld Conference & Expo, Microsoft Corp. announced the immediate availability of Microsoft Windows Media Player for MacOSX (6.1 MB). The new player has been Carbonized to run natively on MacOSX and displays the operating system's new Aqua interface. Windows Media Player for Mac OS X allows Mac users to easily enjoy playback of high-quality Windows Media Audio and Video content. The new release supports the latest Windows Media Audio 8 and Windows Media Video 8, as well as Windows Media Digital Rights Management, and is available in six languages worldwide. The new player features the new Aqua interface, which provides a look consistent with many other new Mac applications. Also, The OfficeX Test Drive (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Entourage the e-mail application and personal information manager) has been released for MacOSX as a free download (122 MB). Inside the OfficeX Test Drive you’ll see how it combines several new and improved features with core MacOSX technologies.

Book Review: Cocoa Programming for MacOSX

Eugenia Loli 2002-01-04 macOS 8 Comments

Less than a month ago, the book publishers Addison Wesley released "Cocoa Programming for MacOSX," which covers the MacOSX RAD development tools, Objective-C and the Cocoa API in easy-to-follow lessons. Update: The author of the book was kind to direct us to the place where you can actually download the source code discussed in the book! Thanks Aaron.

An Alternative View on MacOSX by TheRegister

Submitted by Hero 2002-01-03 macOS 29 Comments

"Both John Siracusa at Ars Technica and Bruce Tognazzini have raised the same concerns, with Tog warning that Apple's dismal OS X user interface was leading the company into a New-Coke style disaster. But if we can indulge you, this is a battle-tested road report on rubbing along with OS X. That's eight months spent on our own personal kit, trying to justify the investment. And watching the gold CD-ROM cursor spinning, and spinning." Read the rest of the story at TheRegister.

MacOSX 10.1.2 Released

Eugenia Loli 2001-12-21 macOS 28 Comments

Macslash.com reports that according to the Software Update readme, the 30.3 MB MacOSX upgrade brings the following: "The 10.1.2 update delivers improvements and new functionality, as well as expanded peripheral support for Mac OS X. Enhancements include: Updated and new USB and FireWire device support, including FireWire-based digital cameras, PC Card storage devices, including media readers, IrDA modem support for FireWire-based PowerBook models, Audio, Display, and Speech improvements, Networking and Printing improvements, AirPort v2.0, Apache web server v1.3.22, AppleScript v1.8". Update: Of the version that potentially will become 10.2 or 10.5, leaked screenshots have been released on the web.

Trip at the Core of MacOSX With Jordan Hubbard

Eugenia Loli 2001-12-13 macOS 10 Comments

"You expect a few surprises on a visit to the headquarters of Apple Computer Inc. But Jordan Hubbard? What's he doing here? The same thing he's been doing for the past decade: trying to take over the world. Or at least the part that uses desktop computers. Did you miss last week's column? Check the archive to stay up-to-date. Hubbard is one of the leaders of the open-source software movement, along with guys like the legendary Linus Torvalds, cocreator of Linux. Their goal is to supplant traditional software with powerful programs that come with raw computer code and programming tools, so skilled users can modify the software themselves." Read the interview with Jordan at Boston.com.

MacOSX 10.2 Delayed to Summer 2002

Eugenia Loli 2001-12-04 macOS 15 Comments

"Mac OS X 10.2 may not make it to Macworld Expo San Francisco early next January. Sources close to the development of Apple's Unix-based operating system, cited by eWeek, claim that the major update won't be released until the summer, to cash in on the back-to-school period. In its place, Apple will roll-out more minor updates, just as it did a little while back with Mac OS X 10.1.1. A further update, 10.1.2, is expected early this month, having recently been seeded to developers. Then, in early spring, Apple will release what will presumably be known as version 10.1.3, the source said." TheRegister reports. In related news, thanks to cracking details posted on the Web, Mac diehards discovered a way to turn a complimentary MacOSX 10.1 upgrade CD into a free copy of the operating system itself.

MacOSX Set for Mac Default in March

Eugenia Loli 2001-11-23 macOS 5 Comments

"Phil Schiller, Apple's VP of worldwide marketing, has gone on the record to suggest March as the date when new Macs ship with OS X as default. Macs have shipped with both the old and the new operating systems preloaded since May, but with OS 9.x as default, and Apple has been pretty cagey so far on even suggesting a date for the big switch." TheRegister reports.

OpenOSX Office 0.9 For MacOSX Released

Eugenia Loli 2001-11-18 macOS 24 Comments

A suite of programs that include AbiWord, Gnumeric and Gimp constitues the OpenOSX Office for MacOSX. The suite also installs XFree86 4.1.99.1, XDarwin 1.0.4, Ghostview 1.5, Oroborous Window Manager, ORBit 0.5.11, Gnome, Library 0.17, Bonobo 1.0.10, Glib 1.2.8, Libxml 1.8.14, GnomePrint 0.31, and DYLib. The CD costs $30 USD.

Apple Releases MacOSX 10.1.1

Eugenia Loli 2001-11-14 macOS 3 Comments

Apple has posted Mac OS X 10.1.1 and it is installable via via System Preferences' Software Update pane. Last week's Installer Update 1.0 must be installed first. MacOSX 10.1.1 "delivers improvements for many USB and FireWire devices, including support for additional digital cameras, and overall improvements to CD and DVD Burning. The update includes enhancements to AFP, SMB and WebDAV networking, updates to the Finder and Mail applications, as well as improved support for printing. In addition, hardware accelerated video mirroring has been enabled for the new PowerBook G4." The download weighs in at 14.4 MB.

The Great MacOSX 10.1 Experiment, Part III

Eugenia Loli 2001-11-13 macOS 2 Comments

"This is the third and final installment of my MacOSX 10.1 saga. For six weeks now, I have attempted to use 10.1 exclusively during my workday. When I first embarked on this adventure, I knew it would take several weeks to thoroughly test-run the new OS. In part two of my empirical extravaganza, I revealed software that I've found indispensable under 10.1, and admitted that I cheat daily by rebooting into 9.2.1 to perform backups. Now, I will present my final conclusions." Editorial by Stephan Somogyi.

The Dollars and Sense of MacOSX

Eugenia Loli 2001-11-08 macOS 21 Comments

"My fellow cheapskates, I feel for you. Really, I do. I know you want to upgrade to OS X but are racked with doubt. Is Apple's stunning new operating system really worth its $130 price tag? After all, that's enough to buy more than 10 different shareware versions of solitaire or keep yourself in beer and pizza for month." Read the rest of the editorial at BusinessWeek.

Mac OS X 10.1 – A Road Test

David Adams 2001-10-15 macOS 53 Comments

OS News' review of Mac OS X last week certainly stirred up controversy, partially because some die hard Mac fans perceived that it was improper for an outsider (someone who is not an everyday Mac user) to me making broad criticisms after only a superficial introduction to the New operating system. Well, folks, that's why they call it a review. We thought that Apple's major new OS also deserved a road test, and there were two very important events in Mac OS X history just a few days ago that toppled the last major obstacle to making it ready for millions of Mac users to start using it as their everyday OS: the 10.1 release and the release of Microsoft Office X. Last week, I made the switch and started using Mac OS X as my everyday OS. Here's how it went:

Review: MacOSX 10.1

Eugenia Loli 2001-10-11 macOS 218 Comments

I went on and wrote a review about MacOSX 10.0.4 a month ago, but it was never finished as I had to fly to France for my own wedding. I came back and MacOSX 10.1 had been released. I scrapped completely the old text, as 10.1 brings some more speed and new features to the system, and restarted writting the review from scratch.

Darwin 1.4.1 released

Submitted by Ludovic Hirlimann 2001-10-05 macOS 2 Comments

Apple has released a binary snapshot of Darwin, the core OS of Mac OS X. Darwin 1.4.1 brings the snapshots to the level of OS X 10.1. For the first time, bootable CD images are available, for both PowerPC and Intel. Details are here.

Confirmation: MacOSX 10.1 Available By September, 29th

Submitted by Ludovic Hirlimann 2001-09-28 macOS 29 Comments

At Seybold Expo Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that MacOSX 10.1 would be available on September 29th. Retail price is $129, having an upgrade CD shipped to you from Apple is $19.99, and it will be available in all Apple Retail stores (and official resellers' stores) for free. Update: Saturday. A visit to our local neighborhood Apple Store (Tyson's Corner, VA) yielded no free CD. Apparently over 1000 people lined up at 6 am this morning to get theirs.

Apple on Track to Release New OS X This Month, Says PC World

David Adams 2001-09-24 macOS 18 Comments

A PC World article says that all indications point to Apple releasing OS X 10.1 this month, as promised. The article covers some of the shortcomings that users dealt with in the 10.0 release, and how they've been addressed with 10.1. The article also mentions that Microsoft Office for OS X is expected in November. Update: A news.com article has more details, and reports that current Mac OS X users will be able to obtain the upgrade CD at no cost from Apple dealers and Apple retail stores. Apple had originally said it would charge $20 for the upgrade.