Apple's Mac OS 10
A Journal

REPORT INDEX:

Part One

Pricing & Availability
Requirements
Current Journal Entries
Pictures and Screen Shots
Beta Testing Notes

Part Two

Retail Box Arrives
Early Retail Notes
Screenshots
Software Availabity Grows
Who Is This Good For?

Part Three

Macs Ship With 10?

Pricing & Availability

Apple officially began selling Mac OS 10 Beta on 13 September 2000. This completely new operating system is available in English, French, and German languages from Apple for US $30 plus tax. It is not available through retail or mail-order sources, only the Apple Store.

Requirements

Mac OS 10 Beta requires a Macintosh with a PowerPC G3 or G4 processor(s), at least 128 MB of physical RAM (though 64 MB of RAM is a more reasonable minimum), and at least 1.5 GB of free disk space.

In general, Mac OS 10 needs more memory than previous versions because of fancy text anti-aliasing and the emulation mode that allows you to run Mac OS 9 applications.

NOTE: Mac OS 9 is likely the highest OS that will ever run in 601, 603, and 604 based machines. Such machines include the Performa 6100 and 6360; the PowerMacintosh 4400, 6400, and 6500; and the PowerBook 1400. Mac OS 10 is unlikely viable for these machines without a processor upgrade (costing $300 to $500 by itself.)

Currently

Dateline: 21 September 2000

I have just received Mac OS 10 Beta. Since I currently run an upgraded PowerMacintosh 6400 (introduced August 1996,) I am also waiting for software from NewerTechnologies which should allow the new operating system to install. Everyone with an G3 or G4 upgrade processor is in the same boat -- waiting for drivers.

From the news I am reading on the Internet, I am also considering buying a new iBook to serve as the test machine. I don't want to prevent work on the 6400 and its very stable Mac OS 9, dealing with Mac OS 10's quirks. Most testers are having at least some problems using Mac OS 10 Beta; I expect my 6400 to be even more problematic.

Pictures and Screen Shots

Beta Testing Notes

Dateline 24 March 2001

I have recieved my copy of the final version of Mac OS 10. It arrived prompty via FedEx Saturday delivery.

Dateline 29 June 2001

I've been running Mac OS 10 on my iBook Special Edition (fw) since the Public Beta release last Fall. As someone that has a feel for OpenStep speeds and other Unixes, I understand all the comments about speed. There are other parts of Mac OS 10 that more than make up for it. I using it every day.

For one, the iBook recently ran for 19 days straight without a crash. There is no other machine I have ever used (for user applications) that has run that long. Mac OS 10 is a stability leader.

For two, the iBook's power management has been heavenly. I can close the lid and it goes into deep sleep mode after just a few seconds. During sleep the iBook's battery only loses about 15 minutes every 6 hours. Overall battery life is never less than 4 hours; (I know an exception will eventually be when buzzing around a DVD movie.) When the lid is opened the computer snaps the screen on instantly and full function is back after just five seconds. With Mac OS 10, I get more work done and enjoy the iBook more simply by not having to be nervous about battery life

The biggest fault that I have is with the AV Out port. It doesn't work under Mac OS 10. How can I show a crowd Mac OS 10 if I can't dump the screen to an over head projector? I hope Apple gets this function working in 10.1 when we should all get our DVD movies playing. I want my AV port!