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Apple has released a Knowledge Base article recommending that users of most supported Macs make sure their firmware has been upgraded to the latest version before installing OS X 10.2. I did not do this before I installed Jaguar, and indeed I have never upgraded the firmware in my Pismo, which is one of the machines specified in the Apple document. As far as I know, the Pismo's firmware is what it shipped with, although it's possible that the former owner may have upgraded it before I got it last October. I'm doubtful, though. I've been scared off the firmware upgrade path by reports of disabled RAM and other unfortunateness some users have experienced, although I expect those are likely extraordinary cases. However, this machine is mission critical for me right now, being the only really production-capable computer I have, and I'm inclined to assume an "if it ain't broke; don't fix it" mode. So far, the Jaguar upgrade, sans firmware update, has been successful. Jaguar performance is an improvement over OS 10.1.x, and I haven't noticed any major anomalies, although I have been unsuccessful in getting the OS 10.2 Inkwell handwriting recognition function to work.
Nevertheless, Apple advises:
"If you are unsure whether your computer needs a particular update, simply download and open the update installer. If the update is already installed or not needed, the installer will alert you to this." I guess I should get around to trying that, at least to satisfy my curiousity, assuming one can abort the upgrade before it changes anything. Another interesting wrinkle is that the firmware updates cannot be installed when the computer is booted from Mac OS X. In order to install them, you have to start up the computer from a Mac OS 8 or Mac OS 9 System Folder on the computer's hard disk (not from a CD). That's inconvenient for folks who have deinstalled the Classic OS, although not a problem for me. I'll keep OS 9 around as long as Classic mode is still supported. I'd be interested in hearing others' experiences with the firmware upgrade/Jaguar install issue.
To see if a firmware upgrade is recommended for your machine before upgrading to jaguar, visit here: Data loss Re changing default application Data Loss And Printing In OS X
OS X Speed
Hi Charles! You sure are being taken to task for that "20-30% more" comment about the time it takes to do things in OSX. It appears to me that there is too much focus on these numbers and not what they represent. A half of a second doesn't sound like much and it's really not about how much these pauses add up to during the day either. OSX's memory scheme allows you to get your time back in other ways by being able to work when other tasks that would normally stop you completely are humming along in the background. The problem for me is one of hesitation in the creative process. In OS9, I'd be attacking Photoshop or Illustrator with both hands moving, like a pianist on speed. I didn't wait for the computer while I was working on a particular piece. Yes, I also wasn't playing iTunes, checking email, blah, blah, whatever. The point is that the most important task at hand wasn't interrupted. Now, in OSX, creating a new layer in Illustrator can take 3 seconds! A redraw can take a couple too. Adding text in Photoshop can take a few seconds just for your cursor to show up. Though these seconds may add up to lost time, the real problem is the loss of creative continuity. Imagine a piano's keys locking up for even half of a second during a performance every so often. It's tough to get in a groove like that. OSX is my system of choice. It's young a will continue to get better, but to overlook its shortcomings does no one (except Microsoft) any good. - j
Hi Jay;
You have nailed it. 20-30% was my best ballpark estimate based on roughly one hour longer or so extra tacked on to what is usually a 4 hour session. It's not just the extra seconds, as you rightly observe -- it is literally dozens of things that hesitate, hiccup, stop, stall, require redos, none of which would be a factor in OS 9.
SOME of this is compensated for by OS X's multitasking virtues, etc., but I can't fathom how multitasking compensates for my having to wait 2, 5, 10, seconds for windows and dialg boxes to open that would take a split second in OS 9. The interrupted workflow is a big factor in what I'm talking about. Your "pianist on speed" analogy sounds like me doing html markup and text editing in OS 9, and I'm using the foot pedal (mouse) too! In OS X it's a constant stop-start exercise while I wait for stuff to happen.
My son says he thinks there is little hope with the poky graphics support in this Pismo. He runs Jag on a 333 MHz Lombard, and finds it quite satisfactory for his needs, but he doesn't do production work on that computer.
Charles From Victor Bloomfield Charles: I have experienced data loss once with NotePad Deluxe for OS X. A note that I had typed and saved simply disappeared. When I tried to remember and retype, the new version also disappeared - as if it were the title of the note, or its location in the topic, that was giving the loss cue. Fortunately, it hasn't happened again, but it does shake your confidence in the software.
Sincerely,
Hi Victor;
That's a lot like what happened to me. It does make yo think twice about consigning anything critical to an application that does this sort of thing.
Charles Re changing default application From Duane A. De Vries Charles: My thanks to your readers for the tip on using Get Info to change the default application used to open a given file. That was EXACTLY what I was looking for!!! I went back Apple Help and did a search on 'get info' and found the information there. The problem was that I did NOT KNOW that get info was the area I had to look. All the key words I tried did not bring up this bit of valuable information. I admit that I can rarely find the information I need in Apples help files. Evidently the help files are written by people who know everything and therefore can't be bothered to write clearly for people like myself who have only 35 years as a main frame senior systems programmer! Thanks again for providing this most useful forum and to the great folks who took the trouble to write with the information. Duane De Vries
Hi Duane;
I didn't know about the Get Info box being capable of globally changing the default app. either. A very cool feature.
Charles Data Loss And Printing In OS X From Richard Hadfield Hi Charles, Re your data loss.. I had the same experience. I tried to transfer some jPEGs from my ON-The-Go firewire drive to this FP Mac [10.2.1] and they weren't there! However, when I connected the FW drive to my Pismo[10.2.1] they appeared. My solution to my experience was to go to the app Disk Utility on the iMac select the HD and repair the permissions. This fixed the data loss. That is, they appeared and I could copy them across. I you are up to it I can attached a pic of nymphing in the Tongariro River, taken with my D60 using a 18-30mm zoom. However, it's 1.7megs. Myself and my grandson landed nine 4lb+ rainbow trout over last weekend. Pretty cool:-) BTW I replaced the HD on the Pismo to a 40gig 5400rpm Travelstar. The Pismo, running 10.2.1, runs a lot faster. Just about up there with 9x. But it is a mission reinstalling all the stuff. The main purpose of my letter is to update on my "Printing Woes." About two weeks ago I came upon this: From the Read Me..
Description
HPIJS 1.2.2 is an open-source printer driver for many HP printers. On Mac OS X Jaguar, printing with hpijs requires ESP Ghostscript 7.05.5 (an open-source PostScript interpreter), cups-o-matic (a CUPS filter script), and a foomatic PPD for each supported printer. Sound complicated? Rest assured, to print with hpijs all you need to know is how to run the installer and set up your printer in Print Center. Be sure to follow the easy instructions below.
The hpijs-combo package installs everything necessary for printing with hpijs in OS X Jaguar.
Installation Instructions
The Easy Install option (recommended) installs the hpijs 1.2.2 plugin to ghostscript, the cups-o-matic filter, and foomatic PPD files to support 193 printers; choose Customize to limit the number of installed PPD files. For a complete list of installed drivers read the file, Supported Printers, included in this distribution.
Before Installing: if your printer connects to your Mac via USB, verify that the printer is turned on and properly connected when you run the installer. Set up your printer in Print Center as soon as the installation is complete. After adding the new printer drivers, the installer will reset the CUPS print spooler (part of OS X Jaguar), which will allow CUPS to recognize your connected USB printer and make it available for set up in Print Center."
CUPS stands for Common Unix Printing System. This works and I can now print wirelessly from all my Macs to my HP Laserjet 4M. The driver that I use is Laserjet 4M Foomatic. Weird names but this is my welcome to the world of Unix. There are open-source coders out there supporting Jaguar and I take my hat off to them.
"Links
Linuxprinting.org hosts a support forum for Mac OS X users, administrators, and developers to discuss their problems in the area of printing with free software and CUPS (CUPS is used as the printer spooling system since Mac OS X 10.2). You can access the forum as a mailing list or as a web forum/newsgroup:
Mailing list:
Web interface:
For more information about the open-source printer driver, hpijs, look here:
For more information about ESP Ghostscript look here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/espgs/ For even more OS X Jaguar open-source printer drivers (Epson, Canon, Lexmark) check out the Gimp-Print project: http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php3" Cheers Richard
Thanks Richard.
Interesting. In ten years of using the Classic Mac OS, my data loss experiences have been almost nil.
That Travelstar drive sounds enticing.
I expect those printer tips and links will be useful to some folks.
Charles
The OS X Odyssey archives may be accessed here: Note: Letters to Moore's Mailbag may or may not be published at the editor's discretion. Correspondents' email addresses will NOT be published unless the correspondent specifically requests publication. Letters may be edited for length and/or context. Opinions expressed in postings to Moore's MailBag are those of the respective correspondents and not necessarily shared or endorsed by the Editor and/or Applelinks management. If you would prefer that your message not appear in Moore's Mailbag, we would still like to hear from you. Just clearly mark your message "NOT FOR PUBLICATION," and it will not be published. CM
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