Mac OS 9.2.2 vs Mac OS X?

In addition to everything which Don has already said, personally, I would not bother trying to run OS X on your PM8600 for several reasons. First, to get it to work on your machine is not a trivial matter, as it involves having a cpu upgrade installed, using a helper to get it installed (xpostfacto), sufficient and a lot of RAM installed, and more. Second, I've found that software runs with the least difficulties on machines of the same rough vintage. What people who've done this have said is that OS X on a converted PowerMac is very slow. Said another way, if you really want to run all the latest OS X stuff, then spent $500 and get a MacMini which'll run all the OS X (UNIX-based) programs. If you don't already have a cpu upgrade and the extra RAM, by the time you buy it you'll be on your way to the $500 Keep your 8600 to run all the great traditional MacOS programs built for OS 9.x and before. The PM8600 (and the PM9600) were two of the all time great Macs, as they are so easily upgradeable. Although the supply of old peripherals is somewhat shrunken these days, hardware can still be found out there.

By the way, there are sources on the internet for freeware, shareware, and inexpensive MacOS (9.x and below) programs - probably more than one can comfortably use. There are also a lot of cool control panels, control strips, utility programs, etc., out there which were built originally for the MacOS. Lots of formerly commercial programs have been released as freeware, too., such as WordPerfect 3.5e from Corel, and Audion 3 and Transmit 1.7 from Panic Software.

MacOS X has many benefits, chiefly its wonderful stablity and security due to its UNIX core. Now, there are a lot of new programs available for OS X, but it is a new world. Several of the neat features of the tradition MacOS are not duplicated in OS X (there are also new features in OS X, conversely.)

Hi, Macs -

Whats the big difference between Macintosh Operating System 9.2.2 and Macintosh Operating System X?

Tough question - hard to answer easily.

In brief, OS 9 is the end of a series of Mac OS's that began with OS 1 back in the early- or mid-eighties; OS 9 traces its roots back that far, and still shares some of the same coding and philosophies (organization of files, etc.) with the earlier OS's.

OS X is brand new.

OSX is not an upgrade over OS 9, not in the same sense that OS 9 is an upgrade over OS 8. OSX was brand new with the release of OSX 10.0 - new coding, new roots. OSX shares some roots with Unix, none with the earlier Mac OS's. Programs that run in OS 9 will not run in OSX (without the assitstance of Classic), and OSX programs will not run in OS 9 (at all).

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The "X" is the Roman numeral for "10", and is replicated in the OSX versions - 10.2, 10.3, etc.

The version numbering system is not consistent - OS 9.2 is an update over OS 9.1, but OSX 10.3 is not an update over OSX 10.2. OSX 10.3 bears a similar version/release relationship to OSX 10.2 as OS 9 does to OS 8.

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Whats Linux?

Others are far better qualified to answer that than I am.

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Is it worth it?

Can't answer that.

I can only speak for myself. Although I have copies of the retail versions of Jaguar (OSX 10.2) and Panther (OSX 10.3), I have not yet installed them. So far OS 9 (specifically, OS 9.1) does all I want an OS to do, so that is what I use.

If I had a reason to use software or hardware that required OSX, I would not hesitate to install it - but I don't.

MWWD: If you were thinking of installing OS X on your 8600, don't. The cost of the OS ($50 for Panther) would be the least of your worries, since your hard drive is too small, you don't have enough RAM, you'd need at least a G3 processor upgrade and a USB card, and even with all those upgrades the 8600's slow system bus would make things drag along tediously. If you want to run OS X, save your money for a new, more capable Mac — which will come with OS X preinstalled at no extra cost.

The response by eww says it all. You are wasting money trying to get satisfactory performance running X on a 8600. The money you put into that machine might well be more than you would spend on a new mini. Remember you can use your existing monitor with a mini, so your total purchase will be mini + keyboard + mouse + monitor adapter. You end up with a G4 running Tiger.

On the 8600, you will need to buy OS + RAM + G3 upgrade + hard drive + USB card. And you end up with an obsolete computer, with a G3 processor, running much more slowly than a mini.

Why is OS X so expensive?
It might interest you that the list price for Windows XP Home Edition is $199.00.

Beige G3's are very inexpensive. Yes, you can run any OS X on a beige, but be sure you check the beige G3 discussions area for guidance about installation.

Here's one example of a G3 on eBay.

Beige G3

This link is only to provide an example, it is not an endorsement or recommendation.

I really woudnt get a Macmini though since for the same price I can get a new iBook G3 which would be nicer.

It would indeed, if it was possible! MWWD, why don't you get a mini? The cheapest new iBook is $999. You already own a keyboard, mouse and monitor which will work with it - so all you need to buy is the Mini itself. At the Apple store online, if you click on the 'Save' banner, you can get an official Apple-reconditioned Mini for $399, or $449 if you want the 512MB RAM (which I would say is worth it). Then you'd have a truly modern computer, OSX, and all the bells and whistles for $500 less than an iBook. Honestly, OSX is marvellous, and apart from running older hardware like yours, there's no reasons to stick with a 6-year-old OS like OS9.

All the above said, I totally agree with others - don't try and run OSX on your 8600. Not worth the pain it would cause you.

1. A beige G3 can run Panther and Tiger. But Apple does not support this, so you need a fix called XPostFacto.
http://eshop.macsales.com/OSXCenter/XPostFacto/Framework.cfm?page=XPostFacto3.ht ml

2. You can install a larger hard drive, upto 127 gB, on the internal bus.

3. You can upgrade the processor. But the cost may be more than what you would pay for the same speed in a used G4.

4. A beige G3 is a faster computer than a maxed out 8600.