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When there is an OS X version (and you can afford to upgrade), you will nearly always be better off running the OS X equivalent.
  technofile
Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

T h e   R o a d   L e s s   T r a v e l e d
Running Mac OS software under OS X


April 16, 2003


By Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2003, Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2003, The Post-Standard

   What can Mac users do if they're not going to upgrade to OS X?
   Older Macs (ones that's aren't G3 or G4 models) usually can't handle OS X, and even some G3 Macs probably need larger hard drives and more memory before they would work OK with the new operating system. That leaves a lot of Mac OS users wondering what they should do.
   The answer? Basically, they don't have to do a thing. Mac OS software will continue to be available for a decade or more. Parts for older Macs will be readily available, too.
   But hasn't Apple stopped work on Mac OS? That's true, but that doesn't mean much if you're happy with your older Mac. Just keep on enjoying it. Your software doesn't know (or care) about Apple's decision to retire the older Mac operating system.
   You'd be smart to move up to a newer Mac with OS X when you can afford it, but don't assume that you'd have to pay a lot of money. Watch for classified ads in the newspaper and look through the listings on eBay now and then. Check www.dealmac.com once a week; the bargains there can restore your faith in free enterprise. If you have a local Apple computer store or a store that specializes in Macs, check there, too. You're always better off buying locally if you can get a fair price.
   Another question Mac OS users raise: What about all the software they're using now? Are there OS X equivalents? What should they do if they can't find the same programs in OS X versions?
   I have good news and better news.
   The good news is that nearly all Mac OS programs will run on an OS X computer. Mac OS X computers made before the last few months will boot up in the old Mac OS operating system, so you should be able to treat your new OS X Mac as if it were a five-year-old model.
   The better news is that Mac OS X can run older Mac OS programs, too. Double click the program icon the way you did under Mac OS and OS X will run just about any Mac OS program under the "Classic" emulation system. "Classic" is an operating system emulator, more or less. The idea is to have Mac OS X run "Classic," and that, in turn, runs the Mac OS program.
   (When I say "just about any" Mac OS program will run, I'm hedging a little because there are some games and some heavy-duty programs that won't quite run right. Personally, I find it amazing that most Mac OS programs run very well under "Classic" mode on OS X, so I'm not as concerned as you might be about the occasional Mac OS program that has problems. The best way to find out is to try running the program you have questions about.)
   All this, of course, assumes that the Mac OS program you want to run doesn't have an equivalent version for OS X. When there IS an OS X version (and you can afford to upgrade), you will nearly always be better off running the OS X equivalent. Examples include Microsoft Word, Photoshop, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Entourage, all of which are available in better, more powerful versions in for OS X.