Scored a boxed copy of Mac OS 10.0

[Mr. Dee]

Noticed there isn’t a forum for this ancient version macOS.

I like collecting vintage software; it’s a hobby I’ve been practicing for some time now. Software has pretty much become a fully digital process with online app stores. But there was a time where there was a tangible experience for acquiring apps and operating systems. Today, I scored one I’ve been wanting to get for sometime now: macOS 10.0. It was called Mac OS X back then. This first version brought us Aqua and later inspired Aero Glass and the skeuomorphism craze in so many products.

It’s definitely a great one to add to my collection. Ebay always seem to have just 10.1 or later. So, out of all the boxed copies, I now have cheetah and leopard. Five more to go.

 

[Bigwaff]

Nice. Does it have a CompUSA price sticker on it?

 

[AlixSPQR]

It was called Mac OS X back then.

According to sw_vers in Terminal it was called Mac OS X until quite recently (at least including Catalina).

 

[laptech]

Noticed there isn’t a forum for this ancient version macOS.

I like collecting vintage software; it’s a hobby I’ve been practicing for some time now. Software has pretty much become a fully digital process with online app stores. But there was a time where there was a tangible experience for acquiring apps and operating systems. Today, I scored one I’ve been wanting to get for sometime now: macOS 10.0. It was called Mac OS X back then. This first version brought us Aqua and later inspired Aero Glass and the skeuomorphism craze in so many products.

It’s definitely a great one to add to my collection. Ebay always seem to have just 10.1 or later. So, out of all the boxed copies, I now have cheetah and leopard. Five more to go.

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Does your come with a version 9 CD because my boxed OS X 10 did (bought it in person from a computer store when it was released). Or is yours still sealed and thus you do not want to break the seal?

 

[Mr. Dee]

Does your come with a version 9 CD because my boxed OS X 10 did (bought it in person from a computer store when it was released). Or is yours still sealed and thus you do not want to break the seal?

Yes, has the OS 9 and Developer tools CD.

 

[laptech]

I need to post and update on my post which I now have to apologise for because the information in it is wrong. I went to my storage place yesterday to get something and whilst there I looked for my OS X 10 box because I knew it was there and guess what, the box is the one that the OP said he has been finding the most which is OS X 10.1.

My box is the common version OS X 10.1, apologies for misleading people in here.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I need to post and update on my post which I now have to apologise for because the information in it is wrong. I went to my storage place yesterday to get something and whilst there I looked for my OS X 10 box because I knew it was there and guess what, the box is the one that the OP said he has been finding the most which is OS X 10.1.

My box is the common version OS X 10.1, apologies for misleading people in here.

I can’t seem to find a retail box copy of 10.1, only the $19 upgrade or single cds of it. Are you willing to sell? Is the box in good condition and contents in tact?

 

[laptech]

I can’t seem to find a retail box copy of 10.1, only the $19 upgrade or single cds of it. Are you willing to sell? Is the box in good condition and contents in tact?

Unfortunately it is not for sale because I have old mac machines that I keep it for and you know what I didn't even know there was an upgrade that they sold and as for contents, no sure if it's got all it's contents. You've got me curious now that I will have to go and have a look lol

Edit: I notice there is an expensive sealed version of OS 8 and OS X 10.1 on ebay for $240

 

[Mr. Dee]

Unfortunately it is not for sale because I have old mac machines that I keep it for and you know what I didn't even know there was an upgrade that they sold and as for contents, no sure if it's got all it's contents. You've got me curious now that I will have to go and have a look lol

Edit: I notice there is an expensive sealed version of OS 8 and OS X 10.1 on ebay for $240

I saw it, but I would never spend that.

 

[Mr. Dee]

So strange, months ago, auction sites were flooded with retail box copies of 10.1 now they are nowhere to be found. Only the (folder) 19.99 10.1 upgrade. I want the 10.1 because it has slightly different art at the back.

 

[laptech]

So strange, months ago, auction sites were flooded with retail box copies of 10.1 now they are nowhere to be found. Only the (folder) 19.99 10.1 upgrade. I want the 10.1 because it has slightly different art at the back.

I see what you mean about the box. Just took these pictures of my box and compared the back with a boxed version off the internet and noticed they are slightly different. (version found on internet http://appletothecore.me/files/43e1141cd30e49bb4dece8e2c933ff9f-154.html)

My Boxed version

Was this version available in the US because mine is a UK version. I am wondering if the 10.1 upgrade you've mentioned was a US version or was it a version that was shipped with macs because my version is a retail version I bought from a computer shop in the UK.

EDIT: Just had a relook at the pics you took of yours and noticed the inside box image is different as well. This is the pic of mine:

 

[Mr. Dee]

Yeah, some of the box art images were updated. You will notice the three note iTunes icon, iMovie, the save sheet with the image is different. They are really the same, but its still was marketed as a significant upgrade in September of 2001. I believe it included some improved performance for Quartz. Even Microsoft Office X required 10.1. I do have an OEM copy of 10.1 and 10.2, but I want the box. Hopefully a copy shows up on auction sites in a few months.

 

[redheeler]

Very cool. They are definitely fun to collect. I have a boxed Mac OS X Server 10.2, also a rarer find nowadays and as a web dev I enjoy seeing the advertised server features of that era

Wish Apple still had a server version of the OS, it was so easy to set up. But I suppose nowadays in the age of containerization and cloud infrastructure it's better to learn how to deal with command-line tools on Linux.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Very cool. They are definitely fun to collect. I have a boxed Mac OS X Server 10.2, also a rarer find nowadays and as a web dev I enjoy seeing the advertised server features of that era

Wish Apple still had a server version of the OS, it was so easy to set up. But I suppose nowadays in the age of containerization and cloud infrastructure it's better to learn how to deal with command-line tools on Linux.

There is an even rarer Aqua based 10.0 retail version. That is like next to impossible find. I have lost every bid for a 10.1 retail copy. Recently I picked up 10.2 and its looking like I will have to move on and just get 10.3, 4 and 6.

 

[redheeler]

There is an even rarer Aqua based 10.0 retail version. That is like next to impossible find. I have lost every bid for a 10.1 retail copy. Recently I picked up 10.2 and its looking like I will have to move on and just get 10.3, 4 and 6.

You might just compromise with the full 10.0 and upgrade version of 10.1 (not as rare and what someone back in the day would've gone with if they already had the full retail 10.0).

Mac OS X Server 10.0 or 10.1 would be an even rarer find for sure. I haven't seen those pop up at all. My copy is the unlimited client 10.2 which was apparently a whole $1,000 back in the day – the box art for this version is sadly very plain compared to the regular consumer version though!

 

[Mr. Dee]

My PowerPC collection for Mac OS X is finally complete! I'll get Snow Leopard eventually, those are a dime a dozen. The 10.1 proved the hardest to get, the version I got came with v1 iPhoto on CD and the OS came preinstalled with iTunes 2. An earlier variant of this box has the three note iTunes icon, but I'm happy with the one I got which is 10.1.3. Apple was rapidly pushing out new refreshes of OS X up to Jaguar keeping the system rapidly updated due to how much 10.0 was a non-starter for everyday use. By 10.1 though, it was an acceptable operating system, improved with Jaguar, refined with Panther, mature by Tiger. Leopard really was just about being a modern, mainstream desktop operating system by 2007. But again, it's just how Apple was pressing full speed ahead and at the same time doing an architecture switch.

A lot of people don't care about stuff like this, but it's nice to know where we are coming from. If I had the space and the resources, I would try getting a NeXTStep computer, too.

One of the interesting things I would like to know is how much of the code from 10.0 is in todays macOS Sonoma for instance? Dave Cutler who is the architect for Windows NT mentioned recently, only 20% of the original code is still in Windows 11 and it will continue to go down.

 

[Terracide]

I have OSX Tiger 10.3 sealed (dutch packaging but als english) and OSX 10.5 Server Unlimited License new and and never used if anyone is interested. I'm in the EU. Looking for retro games, Apple classic or a good iMac g3.