Mac OS 9.1 vs. 9.2.2

[Mat]

From the "Members Introducion" thread:

BUT; Mac OS 9.2.2 is a lot heavier and a little bit slower than 9.1.

Not at all. The main improvements of 9.2 over 9.1 is speed.

The 9.0 is slower than 8.6 and buggy as hell.
The 9.1 is slower than 8.6 but very estable.
The 9.2 is as fast as 8.6 and very estable.

I can agree about 9.0, 9.04 these systems are unstable and sloweer. But in my experiance 9.21 and 9.2.2 are a lot slower than 9.1. Even the bootup time is 25% longer with Mac OS 9.2.x than with 9.1

But I don´t think MacTron just tells crap, so what may be the cause of such a completely different experiance?

My only ideas are: I used quite "slow" Macs the most times. A G3 400, a Pismo, an upgrades UmaxPulsar, and my beloved 9600 with a G4/800 card. The real G4s are coming in for free the last years. So perhaps it makes a difference if you got an original G4 (CPU improvements in 9.2.x?) or an Oldworls Mac with upgrades?

My 2nd guess would be that perhaps english and german Mac OS 9.2 are different?

Any further ideas?

Hmm, no idea, but I really would stay 9.1 if I wouldn´t need 9.2.x for several different programs and drivers (like the Radeon 9200).

[Mat]

Really, nobody? No thoughts at all?

I am not after a flamewar, if you feared that. I really like to know why  two persons can make such completely different experiances over the years, ... ? And as we are both heavy mac users and have huge experiances, I don´t get it. What do others think? How was your feeling 9.1 vs 9.2.x regarding speed?

[DieHard]

but I really would stay 9.1 if I wouldn´t need 9.2.x for several different programs and drivers (like the Radeon 9200).

Well 9.1 is definitely less "bloated" as far as extensions & controls panels (with a stock install); so if you leave the OS install without modification, I am sure 9.1 would win.  Also, additions to system files for the "Classic environment" added some overhead... and was then "optimized" in 9.2.2

however MacTron, runs an EXTREMELY optimized system as far as extensions, so much so, than any other user I have ever met, am I am sure his tests are with an extremely small extension set that is matched exactly (where possible) on each version of Mac OS 9... so I would say, he is 100% correct on the systems he has tested.

We need to keep in mind that Quicksilver and MDD G4s cannot participate in the 9.1 experiment

Lastly, we should, and could, map out the results from G3 thru Digital Audio and post the speed tests for 9.1, 9.2.1, and 9.2.2.  We have been trying to load 9.1 on a QuickSilver or MDD... we may get there soon

[MacTron]

however MacTron, runs an EXTREMELY optimized system as far as extensions, so much so, than any other user I have ever met, am I am sure his tests are with an extremely small extension set that is matched exactly (where possible) on each version of Mac OS 9... so I would say, he is 100% correct on the systems he has tested.

One of the best things of the Mac Os is its modularity. When I'm talking about a "System version", I'm only consider the Finder and the System files. I always use the same set of extensions and control panels, despite the Mac Os version. Well in Mac Os 8.5 and 8.6 I have to make some minor changes. This way, I have made some speed test between 9.2 and 8.6 in a Sawtoth, showing the same speed and responsiveness results.
The 9.1 and 9.2 comparission came from the "OldWorld" era, when I was using a 8500 at 180 Mhz, Then using an unsupported 9.2 in that machine showed really clear speed and responsiveness enhancements against the same configuration with Mac Os 9.1. This improvements come mainly from Finder optimizations.

[Mat]

The 9.1 and 9.2 comparission came from the "OldWorld" era, when I was using a 8500 at 180 Mhz, Then using an unsupported 9.2 in that machine showed really clear speed and responsiveness enhancements against the same configuration with Mac Os 9.1. This improvements come mainly from Finder optimizations.

Hmm, when I suggest people to keep 9.1 instead of 9.2.2 it is because of my experiances with the main machines I used for a longer time, and I all set up from zero. A G3/233DT (overclocked to 292 and 85 Systembus), a G3/350, an iMac/233, an 7600/240, my beloved 9600/G4800, my Pismos/500, Umax Pulsar/G3400 and the 8600, ... all these machines felt a lot and noticable slower after I did the 9.2.1 and 9.2.2 updates. Several of them got a clean and fresh 9.1 previously.
I am not talking about hte later G4 machines, there I always use 9.2.2 often as they need it, or the ATIs need it or similar.

Is there a possibility that you are really not talking about the Control Panels and System Extensions? Means that you are not talking about the entire System?

I remember that I had the feeling when using 8.6 for the first time that everything ran 50% faster (because of the clean PPC code like I learned later). But I always had the feeling that 9.2.2 is a lot slower.
But, to be honest, I never measured it!