What Mac OS 9 functionality is still missing?

[wrldwzrd89]

1. ATM Deluxe
2. opening/seeing/changing font suitcases
3. Sherlock 2
4. QXpress actually working, not sucking
5. Calculator opening fast, taking less memory.
6. command + tab working, not giving some random applications
7. fast UI (like typing, menus and swithing apps)

After experimenting with the Command+Tab application switcher, I realized that there's no obvious pattern to the way the applications are ordered in the switcher when you bring it up. Is that what you're referring to? If it is, I also find it annoying - I never use the switcher anyway (even the Windows one), so it's unimportant to me.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

The order of the apps you cycle through using cmd-TAB is sorted by what app you used last... and all (open) apps is included...

don't really know why you have problems with that...

 

[cluthz]

Network chooser was nice and easy to use!

Also i miss the snappiness of os9. For textediting and such a G4 350mhz with 256mb ram feels snappier than a brand new G5 running osx.
But i would never go back...

 

[niar]

The order of the apps you cycle through using cmd-TAB is sorted by what app you used last... and all (open) apps is included...

don't really know why you have problems with that...

if I do it like 20 times, it brings some random App that I didn't use for a long time. It's really annoying. I think it's related to a new feature that makes App swicher cycle trough all open applications. Making keyboard repeat delay longer doesn't help. OS 9 swicthes ALWAYS between two applications, not three.
on the other hand, I always crashed OS 9.
so maybe it's better if Apple didn't make OS faster or it starts to crash again!!!

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

if I do it like 20 times, it brings some random App that I didn't use for a long time. It's really annoying. I think it's related to a new feature that makes App swicher cycle trough all open applications. Making keyboard repeat delay longer doesn't help. OS 9 swicthes ALWAYS between two applications, not three.
on the other hand, I always crashed OS 9.
so maybe it's better if Apple didn't make OS faster or it starts to crash again!!!

Some random app? Are you one of those who thinks an app is closed when you've closed the (main) window? I know many OS 9 apps quit when you close the main window, and that most OS X apps does not do this (Calculator and System Preferances is the only ones I can think of right now)...

The cmd-TAB cycles through all running apps (including Finder) even if you've hidden them (cmd-H, in most cases) or closed the main, and often only, window, if an app is running it will be a part of the cycle list. OS 9 works in just the same way and cycles through all running apps, but maybe you had fewer running apps then...

These are the only running apps I have open at the moment (no Mail windows open, but the app is still running):

 

[gopher]

Yes that is a good function.

Can anyone tell me why the finder in OS 9 is faster than OS X

It isn't faster. I was able to run a Powerbook G3/233 with 512k backside as fast in X as 9. The problem is people do things which may cause Mac OS X to slow down, such as give it insufficient disk space to work with, not repair permissions before and after each update, attempt to run two operating systems simultaneously, and other things which can slow it down.

http://www.macmaps.com/Macosxspeed.html

explains what you can do to optimize Mac OS X.

 

[benpatient]

why does it take so long for the Panther Finder to "see" file changes?

For example, a lot of times if you connect over a network to an OS X computer and put a file there (say a jpg) for someone else to use, they can't see the file right away. Sometimes it will show up when they actually click on the desktop...it seems to "refresh" the contents of "desktop" or other folders when you select the folder. But sometimes it takes 10-20 seconds for those files to show up, no matter what. The annoying thing is that the remote computer can see the file over the network before the local machine's Finder has even noticed a new file.

OS 9 didn't do this, and neither does any version of windows that i've ever used. It only happens in OS X. It's like it doesn't really know what is going on it its own file system...

 

[iJon]

There is only one real feature I would love to have back. That would be checking out the system specs without having to set it up. It's so annoying installing RAM for new computers but not being able to see if it is reconized without going through the set up process.

I would also like to have Voice login back, that was an awesome feature.

jon

 

[wrldwzrd89]

why does it take so long for the Panther Finder to "see" file changes?

For example, a lot of times if you connect over a network to an OS X computer and put a file there (say a jpg) for someone else to use, they can't see the file right away. Sometimes it will show up when they actually click on the desktop...it seems to "refresh" the contents of "desktop" or other folders when you select the folder. But sometimes it takes 10-20 seconds for those files to show up, no matter what. The annoying thing is that the remote computer can see the file over the network before the local machine's Finder has even noticed a new file.

OS 9 didn't do this, and neither does any version of windows that i've ever used. It only happens in OS X. It's like it doesn't really know what is going on it its own file system...

I agree - this is annoying. Tiger should fix this particular issue, though, from what I've heard - good news for everyone.

 

[gopher]

why does it take so long for the Panther Finder to "see" file changes?

For example, a lot of times if you connect over a network to an OS X computer and put a file there (say a jpg) for someone else to use, they can't see the file right away. Sometimes it will show up when they actually click on the desktop...it seems to "refresh" the contents of "desktop" or other folders when you select the folder. But sometimes it takes 10-20 seconds for those files to show up, no matter what. The annoying thing is that the remote computer can see the file over the network before the local machine's Finder has even noticed a new file.

OS 9 didn't do this, and neither does any version of windows that i've ever used. It only happens in OS X. It's like it doesn't really know what is going on it its own file system...

OS 9 did do this, and so does Windows 2000. It really depends on the reliability of your network connection, and if you set it up correctly. An advanced ethernet System Preferences -> Network panel will let you change the MTU settings, which many have found fixes networking issues with Mac OS X.

 

[gopher]

I have updated http://www.macmaps.com/macosxnative.html to list programs that bring back 9 features to X.

 

[praha03]

Location Manager

What I really miss, especially on my laptop, is the OS9 Location Manager - I had locations set up that would change the time zone (if I went interstate for work), default printer, sound level, and so on, as well as the network connections.

I'd love to have that functionality back. It's really cool that Locations in OS X can be set to Automatic and almost always set up good internet connections... really cool. But the ability to have all those other things reset with one click was even cooler!

 

[Lacero]

Being in Commercial Printing and sending files and documents on CDs ZIPs and whatever, I miss being able to "Print Window" from the Finders File menu. It was so easy to open a folder and just print the list of its contents. (also being able to print an iTunes list that way would be nice.)

Drag the folder icon of the folder whose contents you want printed over a printer icon. The file listings of the top folders get printed.

 

[gopher]

What I really miss, especially on my laptop, is the OS9 Location Manager - I had locations set up that would change the time zone (if I went interstate for work), default printer, sound level, and so on, as well as the network connections.

I'd love to have that functionality back. It's really cool that Locations in OS X can be set to Automatic and almost always set up good internet connections... really cool. But the ability to have all those other things reset with one click was even cooler!

I never knew it was missing, though these people claim to bring it back:

http://homepage.mac.com/locationmanager/

 

[jsalzer]

Things I miss

Well, I'll back up some of the common issues here. I miss the old Apple Menu. When I do workshops for converts (OS9 to OSX), I'm always amazed how many people never took advantage of the Apple Menu's customability, though. More people never knew they could do it than did.

WindowShade is another I use constantly.

Luckily, both of those are taken care of beautifully with shareware.

I do wish the trash can would be freed from the dock. I have fun with iCan (empty Stargate transporter rings when empty and transporter rings with Jack in them when full), but a built-in Apple solution would be better.

I miss easy, reliable finder backups.

I miss my hard drive icon actually staying in the upper right-hand corner on the desktop. I'm not sure why people tell me I'm the only one with a wandering hard drive icon, because I now have the same problem on the iMac G5 17".

I'm absolutely driven insane by the new tendency of Apple apps to quit themselves when you close the window (iPhoto, iMovie, Pages, Keynote). I realize it doesn't take 10 minutes to load an app like it did way back when, but I still don't want to do it!

 

[gopher]

Well, I'll back up some of the common issues here. I miss the old Apple Menu. When I do workshops for converts (OS9 to OSX), I'm always amazed how many people never took advantage of the Apple Menu's customability, though. More people never knew they could do it than did.

You did look at my website http://www.macmaps.com/macosxnative.html

There are at least 4 ways of bringing back the Apple menu to Mac OS X

WindowShade is another I use constantly.

Luckily, both of those are taken care of beautifully with shareware.

I do wish the trash can would be freed from the dock. I have fun with iCan (empty Stargate transporter rings when empty and transporter rings with Jack in them when full), but a built-in Apple solution would be better.

I miss easy, reliable finder backups.

ergg, what about Superduper? What about Carbon Copy Cloner?

http://www.macmaps.com/backup.html

I miss my hard drive icon actually staying in the upper right-hand corner on the desktop. I'm not sure why people tell me I'm the only one with a wandering hard drive icon, because I now have the same problem on the iMac G5 17".

View by kind, it will stay in its corner. If it doesn't then your .DS_Store file is corrupted, or permissions are corrupted.

I'm absolutely driven insane by the new tendency of Apple apps to quit themselves when you close the window (iPhoto, iMovie, Pages, Keynote). I realize it doesn't take 10 minutes to load an app like it did way back when, but I still don't want to do it!

Actually this is nothing new. The odd thing is that System Preferences won't quit when you close the window. Many Mac OS 9 applications would, and that drove me mad.

 

[ct77]

I do wish the trash can would be freed from the dock.

Not trying to start a flame war, honestly curious -- why is it that you want the Trash icon freed from the dock?

My desktop is constantly covered with application windows. If the Trash was on the desktop I'd never be able to drag something to it one swipe.

When the Trash is on the Dock, it's always available. How is that a bad thing?

 

[jsalzer]

Mo Fun

You did look at my website http://www.macmaps.com/macosxnative.html

There are at least 4 ways of bringing back the Apple menu to Mac OS X

Yup - my next line mentioned that there were great shareware solutions for this and WindowShade. I've been a happy FruitMenu user for a year. It's a great program!

ergg, what about Superduper? What about Carbon Copy Cloner?

I have licenses for both. They're great for backup to a hard drive. When I had a 4GB hard drive, I'd use CCC to make a disk image and then burn that with Toast. It'd be nice to be able to just open Toast, drag in what I want, and burn. Permissions Hell, I tell you!

View by kind, it will stay in its corner. If it doesn't then your .DS_Store file is corrupted, or permissions are corrupted.

The problem there is that *everything* is then tied to that arrangement. I should be able to just put it there once (even if "view by kind" is used to put it there at first) and have it stay there without requiring me to tie myself to the grid. It's about what we miss from OS9. I know it seems like a small thing, but it's a constant thorn in my side. Or on my top. Or in my middle. Or wherever it decides to show up on startup.

Thanks for the tips. I'll check out your backup site. Impression's been working fairly well for DVD backups, but I still consider myself on the hunt.

 

[jsalzer]

Trash Talk

Not trying to start a flame war, honestly curious -- why is it that you want the Trash icon freed from the dock?

It's just wrong. He asked what we miss. Noone said what we miss has to be rational.

I do see your point about it always being available.

It just feels out of place on the dock. It's more a folder (to me at least) than an app. And even if you think of it as an app, why is it sitting over with the minimized windows?

And it's nice to have the trash can in the same place all the time. The only way to do that on the dock is to pin it to the left bottom, the bottom right, or the right bottom - all of which are extremely awkward.

And, generally, if you're dragging something to the trash, you already have the desktop showing (to get to your folders), so the desktop trash is already visible.

Or maybe it's just me.

 

[rendezvouscp]

It just feels out of place on the dock. It's more a folder (to me at least) than an app. And even if you think of it as an app, why is it sitting over with the minimized windows?

'Cause it's a folder , sitting over there where all it's potential folder buddies would be.
-Chase

 

[jsalzer]

D'oh!

'Cause it's a folder , sitting over there where all it's potential folder buddies would be.
-Chase

You're right. Foot - Mouth - I know the drill.

I simply forgot that you could put folders in the dock, as I've never had a desire to do it.

So, shouldn't there be a third section of the dock to separate the minimized windows from the folders/trash cans?

Speaking of which - can they give us back the trash can? I can't fit all of my garbage in a waste basket.

 

[rendezvouscp]

So, shouldn't there be a third section of the dock to separate the minimized windows from the folders/trash cans?

One might think there would be, but then where would the control clickable Dock commands go? And would a section of the Dock just magically appear when you minimize a window? Or, what if there was always a minimized window, and no matter how hard you clicked, the genie just would not come into effect!

Speaking of which - can they give us back the trash can? I can't fit all of my garbage in a waste basket.

Uh hm, they're files, not rotten cabbage. Hence, the files that you want to throw in the trash go into a wastebasket!
-Chase

 

[Chappers]

I don't miss it because I still use it everyday at work - but not for much longer - I hope.

 

[Nermal]

Or, what if there was always a minimized window, and no matter how hard you clicked, the genie just would come into effect!

System 1.0 always had an Empty Folder on each drive (this was instead of putting a New Folder option in the menu). I believe that you renamed the folder and another one would immediately pop up

 

[wrldwzrd89]

It's just wrong. He asked what we miss. Noone said what we miss has to be rational.

I do see your point about it always being available.

It just feels out of place on the dock. It's more a folder (to me at least) than an app. And even if you think of it as an app, why is it sitting over with the minimized windows?

And it's nice to have the trash can in the same place all the time. The only way to do that on the dock is to pin it to the left bottom, the bottom right, or the right bottom - all of which are extremely awkward.

And, generally, if you're dragging something to the trash, you already have the desktop showing (to get to your folders), so the desktop trash is already visible.

Or maybe it's just me.

What happens when you have so much stuff on the desktop (unlike me - I try to keep my desktop empty most of the time) that the icons overlap, so that any trash can living there might be obscured? Having the trash can in the dock solves this problem.