Ramblings, by Doug Corbett.

This month I am going to make some comments regarding the Mac OS 9.1 upgrade.

This upgrade is available as a download from Apple and is also available as a CD from Apple. The file size of the download and the number of segments makes downloading a very tedious process. (71 MB in one piece or 15 separate disk images of 4.6 to 4.7 MB each.)

One of the first things that I noticed during the upgrade was that it is recommended that the computer be started with the 'software install CD' that came with your computer. I assume that this requirement is to make absolutely sure that all of the security software is turned off and that file sharing is off, both conditions that will cause problems if not complied with.

The upgrade I believe is kind of a preparation for OS X as well as improved software. As part of the upgrade, many of your folders are moved and placed in new locations. For instance, your old Applications folder is renamed "Applications (Mac OS 9)."

Included in the 9.1 upgrade is Speech 2.0.3 which seems, with just a few minutes of 'play time', a bit better than the previous version and has not yet locked up which was a gripe I had with the previous version.

One of the major changes with version 2.0.3 is that commands are 'context sensitive' - the system recognizing commands from the active application. I am able to check e-mail, dismiss Netscape, and put the computer in sleep mode, all with voice commands. (I don't think I will be able to wake the computer with voice commands - you do have to expect some limitations with this speech stuff.)

AppleScript is also updated but I have not discovered the new features here yet.

Another feature of System 9 that is continued in this upgrade is the Software Upgrade control panel that can automatically check the Apple site and upgrade your system software whenever any new software is available.

The press release for Macintosh System 9.1 upgrade includes the following reasons to upgrade:

Great Reasons to Buy
Mac OS 9.1

Nine Internet power tools

Sherlock 2 your Internet search detective and personal shopper
Multiple Users privacy and preferences for each user
Voiceprint Password your voice is your password
Keychainóone password for everything
Auto Updating always have the latest software updates
Encryption keep your personal files private
File Sharing over the Internet no boundaries for your files
AppleScript over TCP/IP manage workflows across computers
Network Browser find Internet servers as easily as printers

Enhancements for design and publishing professionals

ColorSync 3 manages color accurately and efficiently
FontSync ensures predictable font display and output
Improved printing capabilities streamline output

AppleScript automates complex workflows over the Internet

Enhancements for education professionals

Multiple Users feature allows many students to share one computer
Language kits allow multilingual display and editing of text
Integrated support for NetBoot and Macintosh Manager for ease of networking

Included Software

AirPort 1.2
Appearance 1.1.4
Apple File Security 2.2
Apple Remote Access 4.0
AppleScript 1.5.5
Apple System Profiler 2.5
ColorSync 3.0.3
Extensions Manager 4.0.4
File Exchange 3.0.4
File Sharing 9.1
Finder 9.1
Internet Access 1.5
Keychain 2.2
Language Kits 1.1
LaserWriter 8.7
Mac Help 4.0
Mac OS Runtime for Java 2.2.3
Multiple Users 1.3
Network Assistant 4.0.2
OpenGL 1.2
Open Transport 2.7.4
Personal Web Sharing 1.5.5
QuickDraw 3D 1.6
QuickTime 4.1.3
QuickTime VR 2.3
Sherlock 2 3.0.2
Software Update 1.2
Speech 2.0.3
USB Software Locator 1.4.6
Aladdin DropStuff 5.5
Aladdin StuffIt Expander 5.5
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0
Microsoft Outlook Express 5.02
Netscape Communicator 4.75
Palm Desktop and HotSync 2.6.1
What Route 1.7

System Requirements

Mac OS based Apple computer with a PowerPC processor
32MB of physical RAM, with virtual memory set to at least 64MB

Ordering Information Mac OS 9.1 (for a single user) Order No. M8081LL/A
Package contents
CD-ROM containing Mac OS 9.1 software, third-party software, and electronic documentation
Installation manual

Mac OS 9.1 (for up to 10 users)
Order No. M8167LL/A
Package contents
CD-ROM containing Mac OS 9.1 software, third-party software, and electronic documentation
Installation manual

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We will be discussing this upgrade at the meeting (this coming Saturday!)


For those who like to discuss the pros and cons of laser printers versus inkjet printers, the following article from TechWeb:

By: Owen Linderholm [ 01.13.01 @ 3:00am EST ]
in TechShopper at http://www.techshopper.com/ learners/TSH20010113S0001/print

Printers: The Price of Refills

Step into any computer, office supply, or warehouse store and you'll see rows of gleaming, attractive printers, all at ridiculously low prices and beckoning to you with promises of 'photo-quality color' and 'razor-sharp resolution.'

Buyer Beware

These printers usually are good deals, delivering on all that they promise. But just like razors, there is a sharp edge to what you're buying. Just like razors, it's the consumables that get you.

Considering the prices of $300 for laser printers and $100 for inkjets that print with superb quality, you may wonder what the catch is. In some cases, there really isn't much of a catch, but in others there is.

You have to know what you want the printer to do, and how often you want it done, before deciding which printer to buy and which will slash a hole in your wallet later on.

Don't Blot Your Pocketbook

The problem arises when you look at the cost of ink for your printer. In the case of laser printers, that means the price of toner cartridges, which range from $50 to
$200.

This can seem rather high, but for your money you get a supply of toner good for between 3000 and 6000 pages, costing you from $.01 to $.06 a page, with typical use costing $.02 to $.03 a page.

Inkjet ink comes in cartridges. Depending on the printer, you may have to change these more or less frequently.

The best options provide separate cartridges for black and for each of the three main ink colors (cyan, magenta and yellow). The worst options have all four bound up in one cartridge, which forces you to throw the whole thing out when the first color runs out.

Ink cartridges run between $20 and $50 and each lasts considerably less than a laser printer. In the worst case -- printing full-color, full-page photographs -- you can run out after as few as 20 pages. More typically you'll get from 400 to 600 pages from a cartridge, as long as you don't print lots and lots of photographs.

That comes out to between $.03 and $.15 per page in the typical range, and possibly as much as $1 per page for full-page photography. Normal costs will come in at about $.08 to $.10 cents a page.

Reams of Paper, Lakes of Ink

These prices don't sound too bad until you start to add the pages up. If you're going to print out a novel manuscript of 200 pages, it'll cost you between $16 and $20 on an inkjet.

Is Inkjet Worth It?

Compare that with $4 to $6 on a laser, and the inkjet doesn't seem worth it. Never mind having to reload paper several times because inkjets can only hold 50 sheets.

Of course, the black and white laser can't print anything in color, which brings us back to the original consideration: know what you'll want to do with your printer before you buy it.

Know Your Needs

If you plan to print a lot -- over 50 pages a month, say -- then get a black-and-white laser printer and get a cheap color inkjet for printing photographs. If you print fewer than 50 pages a month, you can probably muddle by with just an inkjet.

But make sure you get one with separate black and color cartridges so you don't have to replace everything when the black runs out. With some planning, you won't have to buy cartridges as often as you buy razor blades.


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