Dinosaur Assassin: Evolution Mac OS

It may not feel that way, but we Mac users have now had quite a long run with OS X. We're coming up on 12 years since the first public release of the operating system (and even longer if you consider the betas and developer previews), and we've seen OS X go through plenty of changes during that time. Indeed, even Mac veterans may—with the passing of the years—have forgotten just how shaky some of those early OS versions could be.

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Don't remember what OS X used to look like back when dinosaurs used to roam the planet and Apple's OS ran only on PowerPC processors? We've mined more than a decade of our own OS X reviews—studiously authored by John Siracusa—for screenshots and other OS X-related memories that trace the development of Apple's desktop OS through the 2000s. If you're interested in seeing how various UI elements have evolved over the years, strap yourself in for this safari showcasing OS X's big cats...

Mac OS X 10.0: Cheetah

OS X was officially released to the public in 2001 after a rollercoaster series of developer previews, some of which barely resembled the final product. Because it was brand new to most users coming over from Mac OS 9, the new OS featured a number of 'shocking' interface elements, such as the new file browser:

And because so many users were still making generous use of their OS 8 and 9 applications, OS X featured a 'Classic' mode. Take a look at 10.0's Classic mode settings panel:

In his review of Mac OS X 10.0, Siracusa concluded with this fairly mixed verdict:

Mac OS X shows tremendous promise, which is a nice way of saying that the 10.0 release is not quite ready for prime time. This is most certainly an early adopter's OS release. Interface responsiveness and effective stability are the two biggest fundamental problems, but missing features and compatibility issues rank just as high if you actually intend to use OS X as a full Mac OS 9 replacement: the 10.0 release cannot view DVD movies; printer drivers are still scarce; CD burning is not yet supported, even by Apple's own iTunes CD authoring application; and a lot of hardware (like my G3/400's serial port adapter to which my printer is attached) seem destined to be orphaned forever.

Dinosaur Assassin: Evolution Mac Os Catalina

Perhaps the most important feature of the 10.0 release is the Software Update preference panel. A 10.0.1 update that includes a new kernel and classic environment, SSH support, a slew of updated drivers, and many other small fixes has been circulating on the net, and may be released by the time you read this. A regular series of free, network-distributed OS updates will go a long way towards making OS X fulfill even the limited promise of a first release of a brand new operating system. Let's hope Apple doesn't foolishly try to charge for the more significant upgrade due in time for July's MacWorld Expo in New York.

Unlike previous articles, this one was written almost entirely in OS X. I forced myself to do this, to some degree, and I certainly spent most of my time in classic applications like BBEdit and Photoshop even when running OS X. But the experience was at least tolerable, which is more than can be said for my experience with earlier releases.

Mac

Should you upgrade to Mac OS X? If you don't already have a copy (or plans to buy one), the answer is no. Most users should wait for a future release, and possibly new hardware to run it on. Should Apple have released OS X in its current state? I think so. Nothing stimulates application development like a shipping OS. Let's hope that the official release of Mac OS X also stimulates Apple itself to make improvements.

Mac OS X 10.1: Puma

The next major version of Mac OS X, 10.1, was released the same year (2001) as 10.0. Apple was quick to make some tweaks in the first six months. So what did it look like?

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Here's Puma's Dock:

Dinosaur Assassin: Evolution Mac Os Pro

And the System Prefs:

The Login window also sported this Aqua-fied look:

Siracusa's take was only a bit more positive this time around, and believing in the new OS still required nothing short of faith:

I wrote at the start of this article that I want to believe in Mac OS X. I want to believe that it will replace Mac OS 9 in a way that improves upon every aspect of the classic Mac OS user experience. Unfortunately, although this may still come to pass, Mac OS X 10.1 is not that version of Mac OS.

But 10.1 improves on 10.0.x in many important ways. Overall system performance shows the biggest improvement, but it is not as drastic as some reports may lead you to believe. Other areas have stagnated. The user interface has not made significant strides since 10.0.x. Many annoying bugs remain, and many features have yet to be implemented.

Dinosaur Assassin: Evolution Mac Os Catalina

Should you purchase Mac OS X 10.1? If you already use and enjoy Mac OS X 10.0, you should run out and pick up a free 10.1 upgrade CD at your local retailer as soon as possible. If you tried 10.0.x and found it somewhat lacking, I recommend at least giving 10.1 a try to see if the improvements are enough to push you over the edge. If you are waiting for the point of no return, where Mac OS X is a complete no-brainer upgrade from Mac OS 9, you'll have to wait a little longer. If you plan to run Mac OS X full-time, you should consider upgrading your RAM to what were previously through of as obscene levels (512MB or more). It will be the best thing you can do for Mac OS X, short of buying a faster Mac.

If you're not a Mac user at all, but are intrigued by the possibilities of Unix based operating system with friendly user interface (Linux fans, no flames, please), 10.1 is as good a version as any to dip your toe into. Windows users should not expect a feature set remotely comparable to Windows XP, but Mac OS X is different enough that it should still broaden some horizons. And Linux users might want to see how another operating system has chosen to build a GUI on top of a Unix core.

Dinosaur Assassin: Evolution Mac Os 11

To amend my earlier sentiment, it might be more accurate to say that I want to believe not just in Mac OS X, but in Apple itself. I want to believe that they can produce the next insanely great platform: a powerful, stable OS with an interface every Mac user can love, running on stylish, high performance hardware. Both the software and the hardware end of that dream currently need work. And so the waiting game begins again, as Mac users settle in with 10.1 and prepare for the inevitable 10.1.x updates. Will there be more 10.1 users than there were 10.0.x users? Probably. But it says something about this supposed 'mainstream release' of OS X when Apple itself is still selling all its hardware configured to boot into Mac OS 9 by default.

Dinosaur Assassin: Evolution Mac Os X

I want to believe. But it looks like I'll have to wait a bit longer.