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mbthorman

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Hi!

My name is Mary Thorman and I've just switched from PC to Mac. I need lots of HELP! I already have an important question: how do I get OS 9 and "classic"? I bought my Mac used with OS X (Tiger) already installed, but no earlier versions. I have the latest Tiger version. Much of the software and drivers I need require Classic. How do I get it without having to buy the whole package for just that bit of data? Mac does not have the answer on their various web sites.:confused:
 
Classic is an older operating system. You could probably buy a copy from eBay, etc, or from your nearest Apple store. Though I should warn you that OS 9 was officially buried, in a casket, in a mock funeral over 6 years ago, and it has been even longer since OS 9 was last updated.

I really have to question whether you need OS9 at all. What applications do you have that require OS9? Have you checked these out to see if there are updates available to let you run these apps in OSX? To run a program in OSX is much more efficient, fast and snappy than running old legacy applications in the Classic environment.

As for drivers, you will probably be surprised to find that you probably don't need these drivers at all. OSX does a great job of recognising almost all drives, memory keys, printers, scanners and cameras without any need to install drivers.

I think your best bet is to let us know what drivers and applications you think you'll need OS9 for, and chances are we can point you to updates or alternatives that let you use OSX instead.
 
Some upgrades can be expensive, but I agree with Symphonix that it's worth making a list of software that you think really requires OS9, to ensure it's worth the bother.

If you live in the UK, eBay currently has this item with a about a day to go before the auction runs out (I am writing this at noon on the 23rd December): http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Apple-Mac-OS9...goryZ189QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Tip: Register with www.ebay.co.uk now. Then put in your bid two minutes before the deadline runs out (but make sure you have logged on first).

Bear in mind that other UK readers may do the same - so there's no guarentee of success!
 
My major problem at the moment is getting the Mac driver for my Epson Stylus 2500 to work properly. I can use the printer with the Mac, but I don't have all the capabilities I had using a PC. The Mac driver can't be installed without a "classic" already installed. Perhaps there is a work around????

Unfortunately (from the standpoint of using eBay) I live in Costa Rica. Shipping charges eat up savings on most eBay items. Also, here in Costa Rica there seems to be only one Mac outlet and the offerings are very limited. Sigh!

But thank you both for your information. I wonder why it takes Mac so long to get updated drivers and updates to software.

Mary
 
Reply to all those good folks who took the time and energy to respond to my query: First of all, I've contacted Epson support and they tell me they do not have an updated driver for the OS X and WILL NOT IN THE FUTURE. They have decided not to support their older hardware any more!!!! Then I went to VersionTracker and found what looked like a possible work-around download, but it doesn't work either. I'm still unable to scan. I bought this machine because it allowed scanning and scanning of slides (camera). I now have thousands of photos and slides that I MUST scan into my new Mac ASAP. It is also my only printer, but the gimp in the Mac OS X works for printing. I also use it for photocopying when I don't want to take the time, money, and energy to go into town to find a place that does photocopies. Also there is no place that does color photocopies out here in the wilderness! If this thing would only just allow me to scan now, I'd be set! I could even charge people to use the color photocopy part. As it is, I'm the only photographer in the area who can print out nice 8 x 10 photos of the baby's "bautismo", first year, or a girl's fifteenth birthday (coming out) ceremony. There is a guy between my place and the town of San Vito who can make picture frames of glass and aluminum for my "customers." This aspect of my work is actually a loss, but what can you do when your poor scratch farmer neighbors ask for a little something? They more than repay me in kindnesses and advice. (And sometimes fresh fruits and vegetables I don't have at the moment, or Christmas tamales, etc. Anyway, I now have the computer profile listed. HELP?
 
Lt Major Burns said:
GIMP Print. it's a set of additional native drivers for all the printers that MacOS X doesn't support out of the box. the support isn't as thorough as it could be, but it works, anmd it prints.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/gimp-print/
Click to expand...


did you try this? it's a bit complex, but there are full instructions. it supports nearly all printers, ever! the support isn't brilliant, but it does at least print, as i say.
 
Well, I don't have any suggestions, but I find it interesting that an American is living in a village of Latin America. The fact that she's a photographer only makes it more so. Do you have a blog/website where you share your experiences? If not, Wordpress.com might be a good place to start.
 
Lt Major Burns said:
did you try this? it's a bit complex, but there are full instructions. it supports nearly all printers, ever! the support isn't brilliant, but it does at least print, as i say.
Click to expand...

Ah, but I CAN print. The problem is scanning. This is an all-in-one machine (The Epson Stylus Scan 2500) which is supposed to do printing, faxing, scanning, and copying. It prints and copies well. I haven't tried the fax yet. No need. But the SCAN is very important and I can't! Sigh!
 
Well, I sorta have a few sites for the photos and one full of various notes from local happenings to political rants. I haven't been keeping up with them as well as I need to because I've been getting used to the Mac and was visiting family in the States in October. Also I'm involved in a bunch of projects that have taken a lot of time recently. I teach English (gratis), am looking for investors and details for building a couple of cabins on my property for birders and eco-tourists and people interested in seeing the rural way of life instead of the usual sight-seeing things. Also, December was very full of activities with neighbors and friends here - Christmas, workers' bonuses (a BIG chunk of my income), local tax forms, a committee of local residents on our dirt road, lots of end-of-the rainy season chores here on the farm, etc. One blog is called "The Real Costa Rica" and is at http://crphotos.blogspot.com and the "experimental" blog full of lots of stuff is called "The Weird and Wonderful World of Chi" and can be found at http://w3chi.blogspot.com. I also have a blog on Yahoo (photos) at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/frikyfrak. I have a lot of photos in a stock photo, royalty free site called MorgueFile.com. My photographer's name on that site is "puravida" so you can do a search for all photos by "puravida". Or you can check out my profile. Plus a lot of other sites, of course, for making a bit of money to support my addictions (living things, pets, writing, teaching, photography, reading, organic gardening, science). If you get a chance to check any of these out, I'd really love to get feedback so that I can improve the sites or carry over suggestions to a website (as soon as I learn how to design and create same ; }.
 
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