Mac OS 9 Lives

Classic Mac OS Software => Digital Audio Workstations & MIDI Applications => Vision & Studio Vision by Opcode => Topic started by: systemseven on December 02, 2015, 06:05:04 PM

Title: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: systemseven on December 02, 2015, 06:05:04 PM
Does anyone have documentation for the Opcode/Ircam version of MAX?  I am also looking for the first version of MSP.
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: GaryN on December 02, 2015, 08:49:45 PM
I've got a complete installer package of Max4 and MSP2 with all doc and even tutorials that I can upload. Will that do you any good?
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: Protools5LEGuy on December 02, 2015, 09:00:59 PM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_%28software%29 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_%28software%29)

Quote
In 1989, IRCAM licensed it to Opcode Systems, which sold a commercial version in 1990 named Max (developed and extended by David Zicarelli). As the software was never a perfect fit for Opcode Systems, the firm ceased actively developing it in the mid-90s. The current commercial version of Max has since been distributed by Zicarelli's company, Cycling '74 (founded in 1997[5]), since 1999.[6]
Various synthesizers and instruments connected to Max.

Puckette released a fully redesigned free software computer program in 1996 named Pure Data (Pd), which, despite several fundamental differences from the IRCAM original, is superficially very similar and remains an open-source alternative to Max/MSP.

Max has several extensions and incarnations; most notably, a set of audio extensions to the software appeared in 1997, derived partly from Puckette's subsequent work in Pure Data. Named Max Signal Processing (MSP), or for the initials of Miller S. Puckette, this add-on package for Max allowed manipulatingng digital audio signals in real-time, allowing users to create their own synthesizers and effects processors (Max had formerly been designed to interface with hardware synthesizers, samplers, etc. as a control language using Musical Instrument Device Interface (MIDI) or some other protocol).

In 1998, a direct descendant of Max/FTS was developed in Java (jMax) and released as open-source.

In 1999, Netochka Nezvanova released nato.0+55, a suite of externals that added extensive real time video control to Max. Though nato became increasingly popular among multimedia artists, its development stopped in 2001. Canadian media artist David Rokeby developed SoftVNS, a third-party package for visual processing in Max, and released it in 2002.

In the meantime, Cycling '74 developed their own set of video extensions. They released a major package for Max/MSP named Jitter in 2003, which provides real-time video, 3-D, and matrix processing ability.

In addition, several Max-like programs share the same concept of visual programming in real time, such as Quartz Composer (by Apple) and vvvv, which both focus on realtime video synthesis and processing. Pure Data also remains widely used.

A major update to Max/MSP/Jitter, Max 5, was released in 2008. It included a revamped user interface and new objects.

The expert here on MAX is IIO, but he's got other hobbies and think noone is interested in OS9 MAX.

I think systemseven wants the 89-99 version (system7) instead of the  Cycling '74 one.
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: GaryN on December 02, 2015, 10:39:13 PM
I know, but there's a LOT of documentation here - it might be helpful
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: systemseven on December 03, 2015, 09:35:36 AM
GaryN, that installer would be fantastic!  Thank you so much!
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: Protools5LEGuy on December 03, 2015, 09:44:48 AM
I know, but there's a LOT of documentation here - it might be helpful
Gary, can you create a free mediafire account? It would be great to have those docs for anyone interested in.

If they are small they can be attached here.
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: GaryN on December 03, 2015, 05:00:11 PM
Sure. Enjoy!

http://www.mediafire.com/download/x8vrx6d37x15jut/max4msp241all.sit
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: systemseven on December 04, 2015, 10:20:41 PM
Thank you!  Looks like this might run on OS 8.1 and up with "Navigation Services 1.0" installed, but no luck on 7.6.1 as predicted.  However the documentation is extremely helpful, thank you for sharing!
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: Metrophage on May 30, 2016, 03:36:49 PM
I uploaded the documentation and MSP 1.x to the FTP a while back, but I don't know if anything has been done with them. My Mac where I have that stuff organized isn't cooperating now, but I might be able to find it here. I can't verify whether or not MSP 1 can be "induced" to work besides as a trial version, because I didn't bother trying MSP until Max 4/MSP 2.
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: DieHard on May 30, 2016, 08:43:37 PM
I uploaded the documentation and MSP 1.x to the FTP a while back, but I don't know if anything has been done with them. My Mac where I have that stuff organized isn't cooperating now, but I might be able to find it here. I can't verify whether or not MSP 1 can be "induced" to work besides as a trial version, because I didn't bother trying MSP until Max 4/MSP 2.

Unfortunately, 2015 was a year of broken links and missing content due to a major server upgrade for the site, and also a re-structuring of our Adrive storage.

The good news is we are now faster and our download files are no longer mixed together, so we have more control and fixing things is a breeze.  Please create moderator reports for anything missing (like a manual) or a broken link, and I will fix then in order :)
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: Opcode on July 12, 2016, 11:41:06 PM
Does anyone have documentation for the Opcode version of MAX?
Yes
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: DieHard on July 13, 2016, 02:21:56 PM
Can you attach it here, for future searchers :)
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: Opcode on July 13, 2016, 09:11:42 PM
Can you attach it here, for future searchers :)
It's a couple hundred page book. I don't think there's a pdf available on the floppy but I'll check

Actually, everything is in the help files and tutorials
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: geforceg4 on July 19, 2016, 10:40:54 PM
better attach file for safekeeping
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: Tj-Shredder on March 02, 2018, 06:37:25 AM
Does anyone have documentation for the Opcode/Ircam version of MAX?  I am also looking for the first version of MSP.

Sorry for waking up this 3 year old thread. I just found that question, and I can't see if you really found what you where after 3 years ago...
I do have an original Binder from Opcode Max 2 or 2.5. It doesn't really say this, but its still sitting in my shelf. I would happily give it so someone interested in it for whatever reason...
I also got the 5 application disks for 2.5, 3 application disks for 3.0 and one key disk for 3.5.8 (no idea how many installs are left there)
I also have a 3.0 Reference & Getting started & a Addendum 3.5.
I live in Berlin, Germany btw...
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: macStuff on March 02, 2018, 07:37:31 AM
you could always create disk images from the floppies if you have a mac with a floppy drive up + running and make them available for all those creative minds interested in max

its kind of the point of this site.. to come together and make all the required files available for those who need

files can be attached to any forum post (up to 60mb)
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: Tj-Shredder on March 07, 2018, 04:37:03 AM
How does this work for copy protected discs???
Is there a way to access floppies from SheepShaver?
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: macStuff on March 07, 2018, 07:26:19 AM
are u not familiar with the program "Disk copy" that allows u to create copies of floppies? or create disk image files (saved image) of the floppy?

https://www.macintoshrepository.org/2416-diskcopy-4-2-6-0-6-3-3-6-4-6-5b13
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: systemseven on April 04, 2018, 05:55:03 PM
Sorry for waking up this 3 year old thread.

No problem, just checked back in after a few months to find this pleasant surprise!  I emailed you, but if that didn't reach you, please get in touch with me here - I will check back more often!
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: IIO on April 04, 2018, 08:16:41 PM
so we finally got one FTS - but a legit copy is a bit difficult to share.
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: Syntho on July 14, 2018, 07:55:28 PM
Can someone explain to me what Max is?
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: macStuff on July 14, 2018, 09:56:31 PM
Can someone explain to me what Max is?

as far as i understand it its can be thought of as a "creative playground" programming environment for creating intelligent instruments that react to various input;
opcode referred to it as a "Multimedia Authoring Environment" and also as a "Object oriented programming environment for music and multimedia" http://web.archive.org/web/19961113040257/http://www.opcode.com:80/products/max/
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: dr bu on July 15, 2018, 08:05:16 AM
hey 110, can you imagine syntho kick ass on detonate? :)
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: IIO on July 15, 2018, 01:46:00 PM

it´s hard to kick ass on detonate, even if youre not syntho. :D

detonate is the most weird all-in-one object they ever made: it pretends to make things easy but it needs as much programming as any other random object. you even need to connect it to itself(!) to make it do something as simple as playing notes.
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: chokobo on September 19, 2019, 08:14:26 PM
Cycling 74 has a download page (https://cycling74.com/downloads/older) with this information posted. And yes they have the OS9 version too (4.1).
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: systemseven on November 16, 2019, 11:15:14 AM
Cycling 74 has a download page (https://cycling74.com/downloads/older) with this information posted. And yes they have the OS9 version too (4.1).

max had been around for 12 or 15 years by the time of 4.1 (which is a few centuries in computer music time) and passed from Ircam to Opcode to C74.  what i'm looking for is documentation for the earliest incarnations of max on mac (as well as stuff like the first version of MSP and nato) - mostly for archival purposes.
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: IIO on November 16, 2019, 12:31:42 PM
who would have thought that... that v4 wasnt the first version. :)

regarding nato, that piece of artwork didnt really have "versions". it is one distribution and few later add-ons. and it requires OS9 and a PPC.

Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: systemseven on November 16, 2019, 12:57:16 PM
regarding nato, that piece of artwork didnt really have "versions". it is one distribution and few later add-ons. and it requires OS9 and a PPC.

oh for sure, i was just throwing that out there as stuff im looking for (basically weird and early stuff that hasnt been archived yet).  i came into using a mac around the time the drama around nato was unfolding (at least i have dim memories of it) and have been unable to find it since then (probably wiped for legal reasons?)
Title: Re: Opcode Max documentation?
Post by: IIO on November 17, 2019, 04:56:01 AM
the OS9 version was for more than 2 years in the ircam shop... the bigger mystery is the OSX version.^^

highly inspiring back in the days, and made the max programming paradigm to what it is today, but unfortunately not very stable... jitter mostly killed 055 and also VNS.