Does 10.4 Recognize APC battery systems?

[mac.head.high]

So I bought a APC Back-UPS HT 1500, and I was going to install the program it came with to allow it to shut down the computer in a power outage situation, but upon plugging in the USB cable from the unit and starting up my Mac, it immediately recognized that a APC Back-UPS was plugged in and it even place the icon in my menu bar.

So my question is this: why does my rig know that this battery system is installed without the use of the software it came with. Does OS X have this feature built in? (If so, color me impressed)

I really don't want to install the software it came with, so if I don't need to, I would be happy. (I really have a distaste for redundant installs)

Also, I was able to set my 'Energy Settings' to shut down my rig after so many minutes of battery use. It seems to me that this is the same functions described in the software I received with the product.


Any opinions and/or insight would really stop my head from spinning right about now.

 

[real_murray]

Yes!

If it came with a USB cable, then plug it in and open the Energy Saver control panel. You will see a drop down at the top. Switch from Power Adaptor to UPS to set options for running on the UPS.

No need to install any software. The Mac is just that great ;-)

 

[mac.head.high]

If it came with a USB cable, then plug it in and open the Energy Saver control panel. You will see a drop down at the top. Switch from Power Adaptor to UPS to set options for running on the UPS.

No need to install any software. The Mac is just that great ;-)

That's what I did, but I just couldn't believe it. I am a fervent Apple user, but this just floored me.

So does that mean that older versions of OS X like Panther or Jaguar don't have this connectivity?

Also, you didn't anwser inital my question of whether this is a feature onto OS X or onto 10.4 specifically. You just repeated the steps I outlined in my first post. Please read the whole post before responding. But I do appreciate the quick response.

 

[Le Big Mac]

That's what I did, but I just couldn't believe it. I am a fervent Apple user, but this just floored me.

So does that mean that older versions of OS X like Panther or Jaguar don't have this connectivity?

Also, you didn't anwser inital my question of whether this is a feature onto OS X or onto 10.4 specifically. You just repeated the steps I outlined in my first post. Please read the whole post befroe responding. But I do appreciate the quick response.

I think it's been in there since at least 10.2. I've had a UPS connected since buying my iMac, which I believe came with 10.2, and hte feature was there.

 

[mac.head.high]

I think it's been in there since at least 10.2. I've had a UPS connected since buying my iMac, which I believe came with 10.2, and hte feature was there.

Thank you Le Big Mac. Keep on keeping on.

 

[Counterfit]

Actually, I think it showed up in 10.3, because I have a UPS connected to my beige G3, which is "running" Jaguar, and it has to use APC's software.

 

[mac.head.high]

Off topic but: Nice petition Counterfit. I think more people should be aware of its existence.