Mac OS 9
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Mac OS 9 is the last version of what has since become known as the classic Mac OS, introduced by Apple Computer on October 23, 1999. It supported only PowerPC based Macintoshes.
Codenamed Sonata, and originally intended to debut as Mac OS 8.7, Mac OS 9 is considered by some the most functional and stable version of the original Mac OS, though OS 9 still does not have some features common to modern operating systems, such as protected memory, and pre-emptive multitasking. However, it did ship from Apple with many improvements over earlier versions, such as improved Open Transport networking, and an upgraded search tool (Sherlock 2), though it did retain the platinum theme introduced in Mac OS 8. Unlike previous versions, it supports multiple users without third-party additions.
Apple billed OS 9 as "best Internet operating system ever" and advertised it as having "50 new features". It was the first Mac OS to include an internet-based Software Update system, and Apple offered the iTools (now .Mac) suite of tools for free to users of OS 9.
Apple updated OS 9 with a series of bugfixes and minor enhancements, most notably versions 9.0.4 and 9.1 (which provided CD burning support within the Finder), in 2000 and 2001. Another update, Mac OS 9.2.1 was introduced in 2001, but only to improve the functioning of the Classic environment in the new Mac OS X (and was followed by 9.2.2 with the same purpose). However, OS 9.2.x is a fully functional operating system and can be used as the startup OS on Macs that do not have an OS X-only boot.
In May of 2002, at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, California, Apple CEO Steve Jobs delivered a mock "funeral" for Mac OS 9 during his keynote address, dressed in black and toting a coffin. The purpose of the theatrics was to announce that Apple had stopped all development of OS 9. Mac OS 9.2.2, introduced in 2002, was the final version of Mac OS 9, and indeed, of the classic Mac OS.
Mac OS X provides a compatibility layer called Classic that runs a nearly complete Mac OS 9 installation within OS X, for applications that expect to be running under OS 9.
References
- Multiple Users in OS 9 (http://psdds.uchicago.edu/docs/OS9MultiUser.html|Configuring) (University of Chicago, Physical Sciences Division)
External links
- Technote TN1176 Mac OS 9 (http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn/tn1176.html) from apple.com
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