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I know; I know; I've made a big deal about not using Microsoft software, but my son works for a Microsoft subcontractor, and understandably, Microsoft's MSN Messenger chat client is the preferred medium of communication there. Consequently, he signed me up for a Hotmail account, and bugged me to download MSN Messenger so I could communicate with him at work in real time rather than via email. So I downloaded Messenger for both Classic and OS X, and was completely unsurprised to discover that, typical of virtually all Microsoft software I've ever used, their chat client is buggy, cranky, and generally user-unfriendly compared with, say, ICQ, which I have used in various iterations for years. And unfortunately, also typical of the general run of things, the OS X version is decidedly clunkier and buggier than the Classic version. The latter is tolerably stable, although not nearly as nice to use as ICQ. However, the OS X version seems to have considerable difficulty holding onto its network connection, and requires frequent repeat sign-ins. This is on the same account, the same dial-up connection, and the same computer, as the much more stable Classic version. On the other hand, one exception to this trend is Eudora 5.2, the final release of which works decently well in OS X, but has proved to be too buggy for me to tolerate in OS 9, where I have reverted to Eudora 5.1. Not to say that I'm thrilled with the performance of Eudora 5.2 even in the OS X version. It is dismally slow, and I really found some of the Eudora 5.1 OS X betas that I've used over the past year more satisfactory. One always hopes that version upgrades will provide improvements in performance, reliability, and convenience, but with Eudora 5.2, there has been a regression in all three. Eudora has long been one of my favorite Mac applications, and the wonderful old Eudora Light is still the benchmark by which I judge email client speed and user-friendliness. Indeed, I was still using Eudora Light for one of my email accounts up until I installed OS X 10.2, which has somehow disabled Eudora Light's ability to send mail in Classic Mode. I just get TCP/IP errors now. Despite its increasing sluggishness, I continue to use Eudora because it is still the most versatile email client available for the Mac. I absolutely require cross-platform transparency between OS 9 and OS X for e-mail, since I switch back in fourth between the two systems frequently. Eudora nicely accommodates this with its facility for one version to access the other's Eudors Folder ans mail files via a simple, single alias. Very slick. SweetMail also does this. OS X Mail, of course, is not supported by OS 9, so is a non-starter for me at this stage of the game. Back in the negative column for OS X versions vs their OS 9 counterparts are the Netscape/Mozilla siblings. The OS X versions may have a slight edge in speed (and definitely in start-up times), but scrolling in the OS X builds is plain horrible, seemingly worse since ny OS 10.2 upgrade than it was in OS 10.1. I suspect that this is attributable in part to my Pismo's mediocre 8 megabytes of video RAM, so they're probably isn't much that can be done about it, but it is another disincentive to working in OS X rather than speedy, smooth, OS 9 (well, scrolling in Mozilla/Netscape 7 isn't that speedy in OS 9 either, but at least it's smooth, and it is faster). Indeed, I would have to say upon reflection that none of the applications **that I use regularly on this particular equipment** offers an overall better user experience in OS X than OS 9. Tex Edit Plus X has some cool additional features compared with the Classic version, and its performance has improved significantly lately, but the old TE+ is still faster and more responsive. With iCab it's at best a saw-off. Several of the other apps I use for production run in Classic Mode anyway, and they work as well or better in OS 9. Even with Eudora, I find version 5.1 in OS 9 at least as good as version 5.2 in OS X. The OS X "killer app." still eludes me. USB printer sharing working in Jaguar From Tom Bender Hi:
I guess the best way to choose is to go down to the store and try 'em out side-by-side. Perhaps the new 800 G3 iBook is fast enough to eliminate that annoying OS X interface sluggishness, but I haven't had a chance to see one yet. As far as sturdiness, my iBook (500 G3) is by far the sturdiest portable I've ever owned. The iBook feels "all of one piece" and I can comfortably one-hand it (unlike my WallStreet or 3400). If you want something rugged and portable, then the iBook is a great choice. If you want a portable computer to serve as your primary system, then I would look at one of the TiBooks. Either way, Apple has a couple of winners here.
Sincerely,
Hi Tom;
The nearest Mac store is 150 miles away, so it's not a casual proposition to drop in for comparison testing. ;-)
However, I think it's safe to deduce that in general, the G4 PowerBook is going to outperform the G3 iBook in most aspects due to Altivec.
For me, the governing factor will be cost. I simply can't afford a new TiBook at Canadian prices, and I'm a bit leery of these machines as used units. Rugged is good.
I agree that both machines are winners on performance and value.
Charles USB printer sharing working in Jaguar From Michael L Johnson I did not know this. If it was announced as finally working in OSX I missed it. Like you, I am still experimenting with OSX and mostly still run in OS9.22. I just did a test and USB printer sharing is working in OSX Jaguar, for me at least. My hardware SW:
HP 832C USB printer connected to G4 933
I made sure in Print Center on 450 that show computers connected to other computers was checked. I made sure that the shared USB printer was showing. I used Textedit and a readme file for an app, and the printer appeared in the print dialog popup for printers. Document printed fine. I was not aware USB printing was working yet, as it had not in earlier OSX versions.
Excellent!
Hi Mike; I just checked in David Pogue's Mac OS X: The Missing Manual Second Edition, and indeed he notes that:
It's on page 394, if anyone wants to look it up.
Charles
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