Mac OS 8.6

Note: This document has been significantly revised since it was first published as a computing news article in May, 1999. The original article is here.

Mac OS 8.6 (code name "Veronica"), released on May 10, 1999, was the fifth in a planned set of six or seven bi-yearly reference system software releases from Apple.

Information Systems & Computing (ISC) recommends an upgrade from Mac OS 8.5 to Mac OS 8.6 for existing systems that are based on the PowerPC (Power Macintoshes) and have at least 32 megabytes of RAM. Please refer to ISC's Mac OS System Specifications to find out which versions of the Mac OS are recommended for your Macintosh computer.

Mac OS 8.1 was the last version of the Mac OS to support Macintoshes with the 68040 processor.

The full install of Mac OS 8.6 uses between 85 and 265 megabytes of hard disk space, depending on the type of Power Macintosh and choices made during the install.

The PennConnect 2001 CD-ROM software installs and runs successfully on Mac OS 8.5.

Issues

There are several known issues with Mac OS 8.6 that will be relevant to Penn’s Macintosh users:

• A conflict between Mac OS 8.6 and FWB's Hard Disk Toolkit 3.0.1 or below. Apple and FWB suggest updating to Hard Disk Toolkit 3.0.2, available from FWB.
• A conflict between Mac OS 8.6 and Connectix's Virtual PC 2.1.2 or below. Apple and Connectix suggest updating to Virtual PC 2.1.3, available from Connectix.

How to get it

The Mac OS 8.6 Update file is available for download from Apple’s support web site. Note: this is a large (35 megabyte) download.

What's new in Mac OS 8.6

• Open Transport 2.0.3 fixes two significant bugs and adds AppleScript support.
• LaserWriter 8.6.5 and Desktop Printer Utility 1.2. LaserWriter 8.6.5 allows you to connect USB PostScript printers (such as the Lexmark Optra E310) to your computer. You can also choose TrueType over Type 1 fonts, and force all fonts to be downloaded to the printer. The new Desktop Printer Utility 1.2 allows you to create desktop printers for PostScript printers that are connected to your computer using USB or LPR (TCP/IP). Secure printing can be enabled by using AppleShare IP 6.1 or later and the new LW 8.6.5 driver.
• Sherlock 2.1. Sherlock has improved ability to search behind firewalls, including SOCKS and authenticated proxy servers. You can also set the number of Internet connections that you can make simultaneously in Sherlock's Preferences window. The Search Internet panel is now resizable so you can easily see all available search sites. Click the new "Uncheck All" button to quickly deselect the selected search sites. The "Find by Content" section of Sherlock now allows you to index and search PDF and HTML files. You can also index or search items with a particular label, or index an individual folder (via a new contextual menu option).
• DVD-RAM disks can now be used to store information, just as can be done with any other removable recordable media. By using the Universal Disk Format (UDF) 1.5 to format a DVD-RAM disc, you can share information with any computer platform that supports UDF 1.5. You can also format a DVD-RAM disc using UDF to share files with PCs equipped with DVD-RAM or one of the newer (Generation 3) DVD-ROM drives.
• New nanokernel. The main immediately relevant effect of the new nanokernal is that the battery life of new PowerBooks is extended by about a third. Multitasking is now integrated into the nanokernel: the multiprocessor library can run with VM enabled and full symmetric multiprocessor capability. Existing applications will run without changes.
• Other new features included in Mac OS 8.6:
• Unicode Utilities that work with international text to sort and collate without translating to the Mac OS character set and back. ATSUI 1.1 includes Unicode imaging and layout enhancements such as client control over memory management and memory allocation and font fallbacks. Mac OS 8.6 also includes added locale support as a way of storing information associated with cultural conventions such as calendars, date and time formats, number and currency formats, text sorting orders, etc.
• FireWire 2.0 and Game Sprockets (including InputSprockets, NetSprockets, and SoundSprockets) extensions are now built into the standard install of the Mac OS.
• AppleScript 1.3.7 has several bug fixes.
• PlainTalk 1.5.4 is now compatible with Mac OS 8.5.x and Mac OS 8.6, has support for 44.1 Khz input sound sources, and has filtering for the built-in microphone on iMacs.
• Monitors & Sound 1.5. Apple's monitor calibrator in the Color section of the Monitors & Sound control panel makes it easier to view and customize color settings.