(mac)OStalgia

[bfcastello]

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=272&v=2DwJNQMBCOk&feature=emb_title

Post on Cult of Mac: https://www.cultofmac.com/761961/todays-mac-apps-on-mac-os-9/

These are the concepts for apps reimagined by Michael Feeney on his YT channel. I think they are amazing and well thought. Imagine if we had them today??

I think he's missing the opportunity to reimagine some macOS X features too, like AirDrop, AirPlay, iCloud... It's fascinating to think of the possibilities!

[Protools5LEGuy]

[youtube]2DwJNQMBCOk[/youtube]

(mac)OStalgia is exploring my 2021 work-from-home routine from a nostalgic perspective. How would have the same workflow looked like with the tools of today and the limitations of yesterday. macOS 9 meets modern software with unreliable internet, little disk storage and many more tech hiccups.

http://swallowmygraphicdesign.com/project/macostalgia

What stood out in UI/UX practices

Even though Design and UI trends definitely changed a lot in the past 20 years, applications still behave and look (somehow, aesthetic aside) very similar. After all, it is indeed difficult to replace well installed behaviour such as visual feedback on hover, scroll for more content, double click to launch application, etc. Basically, because our Operating Systems still behave in a similar way, so did the UI and the UX of many of our apps.

One area where both UI and UX improved dramatically as part of the operating systems is on the accessibility front. The apparition (and improvement) of a full-fletched Voice Control, integrated screen readers, dark mode, etc. is definitely what stood out the most looking back at Mac OS 9.

A lot (and not much) has changed

The internet was an absolute pain 20 years ago with 56 kbps connections and hard drives offered very little storage. 20 years later, now that our internet connections can reach the 1 gbps speeds and our hard-drives can store terabytes of data, our internet can still be sucky and we still run out of space. As technology evolved, so did our thirst for getting the best image quality possible on a video call and our desire to store all of our family memories in 4K and High Definition.

Or simply put, as technology improved and adapted to our needs, our tech frustrations moved from 1.0 to 2.0.

[Protools5LEGuy]

https://www.pixelsquid.com/png/imac-1079863069405878120?image=I01

First things first:
Mac OS 9 components


To help me understand how modern applications would have looked liked in the Mac OS 9 era, I had to start analysing the OS in greater detail. After all, the last time I had used Mac OS 9, the word hipster had not even been reappropriated yet. The Mac OS 9 emulator SheepShaver has been of great help to help me analyse Mac OS 9 in its greatest details.

I then started creating a Library of Mac OS 9 components that I reused throughout my project. The Mac OS 9: UI Kit is available to the whole Figma community. Feel free to use it for your own personal projects as well.

https://www.figma.com/community/file/966779730364082883

[IIO]

kdx can do all of zoom except using the camera and sending invitations.

the presence is only a cheap copy of the past.
 
 
now while this is cute, what can we learn from it?

i find it interesting to see which things are better today (disk storage and internet speed is available in OS9) and which we cant fix (running programs in realtime which require more CPU than a G4 will ever give you)

[Protools5LEGuy]

Just merged bfcastello post with mine. Didnt realize both post about same stuff.

kdx can do all of zoom except using the camera and sending invitations.

I guess there should be a software for videoconference for Mac OS 9. But the video-codec is probably obsolete. Intel Indeo or Real Player  or mpg1.

the presence is only a cheap copy of the past.
 

Present (now) is a cheap copy of the past.  Presence is a bad album for Led Zeppelin.

now while this is cute, what can we learn from it?

Maybe the theme he made for Figma is usefull to someone. I have no idea what Figma is. 

i find it interesting to see which things are better today (disk storage and internet speed is available in OS9) and which we cant fix (running programs in realtime which require more CPU than a G4 will ever give you)

I have protools in my Mac Pro 2.1 and 3.1. The mixes I am doing are so CPU intense that now I use 2 computers in series (one after the other). Sonarworks Reference eat way too much CPU to use it in the same machine that my daw.

My DAW makes the mix and other computer do the sonarworks stuff.

Perhaps you can do the same with 2 G4s, I mean, do main mix on one G4 and multiband compresion + linear phase eq on another.

[IIO]

I guess there should be a software for videoconference for Mac OS 9.

does anyone know one? skype was OSX only isnt it?

and were there cameras for USB 1.1?

[robespierre]

CU-SeeMe and iVisit were videoconference platforms for OS 7/8 in the '90s.

Firewire works great for cameras, that was one of its major selling points. The iSight camera is well-known, but you could attach any camcorder with a DV port too.

List of Chat/Video/Messenging apps for OS9 / early OSX: http://www.macorchard.com/chat/

[Protools5LEGuy]

I guess there should be a software for videoconference for Mac OS 9.

does anyone know one? skype was OSX only isnt it?

and were there cameras for USB 1.1?

https://tap.gallaudet.edu/Video/VideochatMac.html

With the increased availability of high-speed Internet in both business and residential areas, it is now easier to do signed video chat with family and friends.  You can also make Video Relay Service calls.  Video Relay Service provides sign language interpretation for voice telephone calls.  You contact the relay service using video communications technology and the relay service places the call and interprets the conversation.  Video relay service is much faster and more natural than text-based relay services for those who know American Sign Language.

Many people who can sign say that once you get used to video calls, it is hard to go back to using TTY.  Video calls allow you to have a natural conversation with a person on the other end.

Equipment and Services Needed for Video Calls

If you have high-speed Internet (cable modem, DSL, ISDN, T1 or better), there is a good chance that your computer can make video calls.  Your computer needs to be at least a PowerPC G3 (G4 recommended), and have an available USB or Firewire port.

You will need to determine which Mac OS you will be using with the camera.  If you only have OS 8.6 – 9.x and have no plans to upgrade to OS-X, you will need to buy a camera that says it will run in OS 8.6 – 9.x.  If you have both OS 9.x and OS-X on your computer, it is recommended that you buy a camera that runs in OS-X mode.  This way you can be assured that your camera will be compatible with future OS-X upgrades.  Apple now ships new computers that will not boot into OS-9.x mode and this will be a problem if you have a camera that requires you to boot into OS-9.x.  There are some cameras that allow you to use them in OS-X Classic mode (OS-9 running within OS-X), but it is advisable to go for a camera that runs natively in OS-X mode.  If you are using OS-X Jaguar, you will want a camera that runs natively in OS-X.

You will need to buy a web camera with a USB or Firewire plug.  There are many USB cameras and some Firewire cameras being sold on the Internet and in stores. A majority of web cameras have CMOS lenses and they are generally cheap, but their video quality is lower than a camera with a high-quality CCD lens.  It is often tempting to buy something that costs less; however this is a case where the difference in price is worth it.  For a better video quality, it is strongly recommended to buy a high quality CCD camera.  Several popular cameras with CCD lenses are:

Logitech QuickCam 4000 (OS 9 only)
UniBrain Fire-I Camera (Firewire & runs in OS-X)
After plugging in your new USB or Firewire camera, Mac OS may ask you to insert the CD that came with the camera.  Some cameras require you to install the software before plugging in the USB or Firewire camera.   Follow the installation instructions that came with your camera.

You can test your video connection using the video software that came with your video camera.  If you see yourself, your video hook up was done correctly.

If you plan to make Video Relay Service (VRS) calls, the next step is to download either OhPhoneX (OS-X only) or VideoLink Pro (OS 8.6-9.x only) software.  They are H.323-compatible video chat software.  (H.323 is an international standard for Internet-based video so that different products can work with each other.)  As of this writing, OhPhoneX is still in early beta stage which means it is still in development stage.  Some bugs may occur.  Keep checking their website for updated releases.  It is free software.  You can download a trial version of VideoLink Pro and it will only work for a few minutes each call.  You can purchase a full version for $59.95.

You can only use OhPhoneX or VideoLink Pro with Video Relay Services  (VRS).  You will need to run OhPhoneX or VideoLink Pro before you go into VRS website with your browser.  For step-by-step instructions, you can check VRS’ frequently asked questions (FAQ) page and look for Macintosh instructions.  Not all VRS can accept Mac video calls, but VRS centers are working on it.

If you wish to talk to a person who has a PC, that person should be using either VideoLink Pro, NetMeeting, or EnVision. 

If you are having problems making or receiving video calls (no incoming video or blackout of the video window), you may have a firewall issue.  See this linked article for some possible solutions.

Other Proprietary Video Chat Software

There is also some free video chat software you can try.  (NOTE: None of software listed below is currently (May 2003) compatible with VRS as they are not H.323 compatible.)

Yahoo Messenger (Mac OS 8.6 – 9.x and OS-X) You can use it to talk with both PC and Macintosh users.  It can send and receive up to 20 fps video.

Sighspeed (Mac OS 9.x or OS-X Classic mode) You can use it to talk with both PC and Macintosh users.

ISpQ (Mac OS 8.6 – 9.x and OS-X) You can use it to talk with both PC and Macintosh users.  It can send and receive  up to 30 fps video.

[zefrenchtoon]

kdx can do all of zoom except using the camera and sending invitations.
...

What about Carracho and Hotline ?   
(I never liked Hotline btw ...)

[zefrenchtoon]

...
Maybe the theme he made for Figma is usefull to someone. I have no idea what Figma is. 
...

Figma is an online tool used to create GUI mockups to drive software developers.
We use it in my company. Our UI/UX designer creates new GUI design on figma and even can add interactions between elements to create user story then we, as developers, create the corresponding software based on these designs.

[IIO]

What about Carracho and Hotline ?   

no desktop remote at all, not to speak of voice and camera.

OS9VNC and KDX are quite different as remote solutions and can complement each other in a way.
 
 
i just ordered such a logitech pro 4000 ball and tried to find its drivers and some these old video conferencing softwares, but wasnt lucky yet.

[bfcastello]

Thanks for merging the posts! The subject is indeed a very interesting one for me, since I am an UI/UX Designer.

I briefly used Figma for two months in another company, but I am mostly familiarized with Adobe XD and use it a lot nowadays.

About Zoom, I don't even use it for work (I prefer to avoid it, due to privacy concerns) and unfortunately I have to use Google Meet for my team daily reviews.

I think I have briefly used CUSeeMe before I moved to MSN on Windows, but I can't remember well. Anyway, the iSight camera design is an iconic one and still ahead of its time.

Now in 2022, the most similar theme to OS 9 platinum is a version of it for XFCE4 on Linux available on github. I used it for my Raspberry Pi 3B and Raspbian. Can't deny that it is a very simple, well designed, effective design for low energy systems. I wish Linux distros followed that route instead of Adwaita and "wannabe macOS X" themes for GNOME and KDE.

Not that I am not a fan of current modern Monterey theme, I like it too, simplicity is key for me, but nothing beats OS 9 Platinum or classic Windows 9x themes. I was never a fan of OS X brushed metal themes (I prefer the pinstripe version) and Windows Aero/transparent theme.

EDIT: I tried to edit my 1st post here to comply with the forum rules for image size (height=300), but I don't have an edit button for that post. Probably lost it when it was merged. Can a mod fix it for me? Thanks

[Protools5LEGuy]

EDIT: I tried to edit my 1st post here to comply with the forum rules for image size (height=300), but I don't have an edit button for that post. Probably lost it when it was merged. Can a mod fix it for me? Thanks

Fixed

[IIO]

Firewire works great for cameras, that was one of its major selling points.

firewire is out of the question (for me) but yes most cameras will work because you dont need a driver.

as usual many people know about these things from professional work - but not really from using it at home. i cant remember a single person who would have asked me to videochat in 2000.

[robespierre]

I can remember chatting on IRC in 1998 using Ircle, using its video streaming extension. The video sender used an AV Mac, probably an 8600. Video was postage-stamp quality, 60x40 maybe? But a lot of that was bandwidth limitations of the Internet then.
I also tried iVisit, but I didn't have a camera or an AV Mac then. The software did let you paste still images into your frame so you could have an 'avatar' I guess.
There were also whiteboard type programs for cooperative network drawing, I remember one called NetScrawl. It was a lot of fun.

[bfcastello]

I actually have a question about IRC - does you guys have a channel for macOS 9 somewhere?

I've found myself today thinking about how good it would be a new IRC client based on Windows mIRC version (similar UI/UX, but with OS 9 Platinum style)... But I then I remember that building one is not as easy as it seems to be...

There are a few ones for OS 9, but the ones for OS X and modern ones like Textual for current macOS don't captivate me really. Maybe because back then, when I was using Windows, I was really used to "classic" mIRC.

[IIO]

there was one in this forum but it´s usually been populated by 0,3 persons.