What do you use Mac OS 9 for?

[Fcr-900]

Mac OS 9 is talked about quite a lot on these forums, and I did my own research and watched videos of it and realize just how classic it looks and feels like the original Macintosh software and how different OS X is to it.
I also found out there was a funeral for OS 9 back in 2002... as Jobs killed off the OS. I want to ask, what do you use OS9 for and what can it be used for in 2020 and can it be fun to use and take a step back into another era of Apple computing?

 

[RogerWilco6502]

I use OS 9 for writing, making greeting cards in Print Shop Deluxe, gaming, and some web browsing for the most part. OS X is still my main OS, but OS 9 is still very capable and fun to use

edit: I also use OS 9 to maintain my personal website.

 

[Fcr-900]

I use OS 9 for writing, making greeting cards in Print Shop Deluxe, gaming, and some web browsing for the most part. OS X is still my main OS, but OS 9 is still very capable and fun to use

edit: I also use OS 9 to maintain my personal website.

Ooh! What games are great on OS9? I should have included that in my posy

 

[RogerWilco6502]

Ooh! What games are great on OS9? I should have included that in my posy

SimCity 2k, the Quakes, Doom I and II, Wolf3D (on pre-G4 machines), SimAnt, The Sims, the Shanghai mahjong games, and Jazz Jackrabbit 2 are some I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[Slix]

Any app I have that runs natively in Mac OS 9 is used there. I prefer not to use the Classic environment if I can help it. Games are primarily why I boot OS 9, but there are a few other random applications that work better in 9, such as Kid Pix.

I like a lot of Pangea games (Bugdom, Cro-Mag Rally, Mighty Mike), Bub & Bob, Apeiron, Crystal Crazy, Widget Workshop... So many!

 

[RogerWilco6502]

Any app I have that runs natively in Mac OS 9 is used there. I prefer not to use the Classic environment if I can help it. Games are primarily why I boot OS 9, but there are a few other random applications that work better in 9, such as Kid Pix.

I like a lot of Pangea games (Bugdom, Cro-Mag Rally, Mighty Mike), Bub & Bob, Apeiron, Crystal Crazy, Widget Workshop... So many!

I forgot about the Pangea games! I play those too on occasion

And I also use iMovie to edit yt vids from time to time.

 

[eyoungren]

Mac OS 9 is talked about quite a lot on these forums, and I did my own research and watched videos of it and realize just how classic it looks and feels like the original Macintosh software and how different OS X is to it.
I also found out there was a funeral for OS 9 back in 2002... as Jobs killed off the OS. I want to ask, what do you use OS9 for and what can it be used for in 2020 and can it be fun to use and take a step back into another era of Apple computing?

Sorry, not a fan.

I lived through OS9 and all I have is bad memories. As soon as OS X was viable for graphic design work I ditched it as fast as I could.

I did like the fact that I could use Kaleidoscope and themes, but that was not enough to balance out the underlying issues I had with the OS.

All that said, I get that people here like it and if that's your thing then great and go for it.

 

[TheShortTimer]

Sorry, not a fan.

I lived through OS9 and all I have is bad memories. As soon as OS X was viable for graphic design work I ditched it as fast as I could.

I did like the fact that I could use Kaleidoscope and themes, but that was not enough to balance out the underlying issues I had with the OS.

All that said, I get that people here like it and if that's your thing then great and go for it.

As you know from previous discussions, I'm not a big fan of OS9 either and I share your sentiments. I have it installed on several of my Macs for whenever I need to run particular games or to carry out specific tasks and I've learned to become somewhat confident with using it in those scenarios. However, on every occasion when I use OS9, I'm reminded that a much more fun and easier way of using my Mac exists under OSX and I understand why Jobs did away with its predecessor.

It's a shame that the G5s can't boot OS9 because it would be nice to have the option available but it's not the end of the world.

 

[MacFoxG4]

Mac OS 9 is talked about quite a lot on these forums, and I did my own research and watched videos of it and realize just how classic it looks and feels like the original Macintosh software and how different OS X is to it.
I also found out there was a funeral for OS 9 back in 2002... as Jobs killed off the OS. I want to ask, what do you use OS9 for and what can it be used for in 2020 and can it be fun to use and take a step back into another era of Apple computing?

I really like OS 9, as well as System 7 and OS 8. I use OS 9 mainly for creative writing with a little bit of gaming, web browsing, and playing around in Photoshop.

 

[Amethyst1]

It's a shame that the G5s can't boot OS9

Just imagine how fast it would run on there.

To the OP - I mainly use it for native apps and games as well as to play around with an OS that I never really got the chance to use in its day 'cause we didn't get a Mac until 2002.

 

[repairedCheese]

Just imagine how fast it would run on there.

Well, if you run 10.4, you can do more than imagine. Especially if you compare performance to other systems running classic.

I also have to imagine there'd be more OS 9 support if more PPC Macs could run it, too. Since it's where I like to play 90's games, it's an absolute shame.

 

[Alex_K]

Mainly stuff like this:

 

[jwolf6589]

Mac OS 9 is talked about quite a lot on these forums, and I did my own research and watched videos of it and realize just how classic it looks and feels like the original Macintosh software and how different OS X is to it.
I also found out there was a funeral for OS 9 back in 2002... as Jobs killed off the OS. I want to ask, what do you use OS9 for and what can it be used for in 2020 and can it be fun to use and take a step back into another era of Apple computing?

I imagine nothing but playing old games.

 

[Amethyst1]

Well, if you run 10.4, you can do more than imagine. Especially if you compare performance to other systems running classic.

Classic sucks on Panther and Tiger, so that doesn't count.

 

[jwolf6589]

Classic sucks on Panther and Tiger, so that doesn't count.

Yes not all games will run on it for one.

 

[RogerWilco6502]

Classic sucks on Panther and Tiger, so that doesn't count.

I second this. One interesting thing though is to open up the OS 9 System Profiler in Classic. The Machine ID is different than when you open it up in native OS 9.

 

[repairedCheese]

Classic sucks on Panther and Tiger, so that doesn't count.

Well yeah. My point isn't that it's good, but you can compare Classic on Tiger on a OS 9 capable PMG4 to it on a PMG5, and imagine what OS 9 would be like natively. And it would be impossibly beastly, btw.

 

[alex_free]

Mac OS 9 is talked about quite a lot on these forums, and I did my own research and watched videos of it and realize just how classic it looks and feels like the original Macintosh software and how different OS X is to it.
I also found out there was a funeral for OS 9 back in 2002... as Jobs killed off the OS. I want to ask, what do you use OS9 for and what can it be used for in 2020 and can it be fun to use and take a step back into another era of Apple computing?

Watching or listening to YouTube, reading books in PDF format, playing Quake 3 online or any of the other amazing games. Connecting to other computers with MacSSH.

There’s definitely things to do with it. A lot of people make music with some of the abandoned software lingering around.

It’s one of the most optimized operating systems ever made. Your OS takes up 30 something MB RAM on boot, your web browser takes up 10 MB RAM, your not even at 100MB yet. That’s a definitive advantage over other OSes you could possibly run.

 

[z970]

Well yeah. My point isn't that it's good, but you can compare Classic on Tiger on a OS 9 capable PMG4 to it on a PMG5, and imagine what OS 9 would be like natively. And it would be impossibly beastly, btw.

Classic on Jaguar would be a more accurate representation of native performance.

 

[repairedCheese]

Classic on Jaguar would be a more accurate representation of native performance.

And I've tried to install the G5 version on my own system, but apparently it needs something older than a 4gb ram agp pci model. The regular versions don't want to install either. I've read that it should run in theory, but I'm scratching my head about getting it installed. Even copying the disk of an installed version hasn't worked. I'd love to make my PMG5 more compatible with old software, but I'm scratching my head here.

 

[Amethyst1]

And I've tried to install the G5 version on my own system, but apparently it needs something older than a 4gb ram agp pci model.

Officially, the G5 version will only run on the original models introduced in 2003. Assuming yours is one of these, what problems are you facing?

 

[repairedCheese]

Officially, the G5 version will only run on the original models introduced in 2003. Assuming yours is one of these, what problems are you facing?

My assumption is that my system is simply too new, which for my purposes is actually something of a shame, but my system gives me an error along the lines of "this system is unsupported."

I just have to figure, there should be a way to get it installed on unsupported G5s. I would honestly love better classic app support on the thing.

 

[Fcr-900]

Watching or listening to YouTube, reading books in PDF format, playing Quake 3 online or any of the other amazing games. Connecting to other computers with MacSSH.

There’s definitely things to do with it. A lot of people make music with some of the abandoned software lingering around.

It’s one of the most optimized operating systems ever made. Your OS takes up 30 something MB RAM on boot, your web browser takes up 10 MB RAM, your not even at 100MB yet. That’s a definitive advantage over other OSes you could possibly run.

How exactly does YouTube work on OS 9

 

[RogerWilco6502]

How exactly does YouTube work on OS 9

Via @alex_free 's PPCMC web interface

 

[alex_free]

Via @alex_free 's PPCMC web interface

@RogerWilco6502 you should post a thread on your video of it, I think most people are unaware of its existence .