Taliesin wrote:
<< If I had that one desert island book, it certainly would not be about Macs. >>
What - you'd take a PC book?
Extraordinary.
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David Pogue it is.
Thanks, All.
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Etaoin wrote:
<< 9.1 seems like a real solid 9.x version. 9.2.2 has shown some flakiness on its own. >>
Understood.
Unfortunately, technical support for my main application states that they are stable in 8.6 and 9.2.2 (you can feel them smiling and relaxed when they talk), but not in 9.1 (you can feel them tense up - sit straighter in their chairs at just the mention of 9.1 - and suddenly they are no longer your friend). I called twice - same story and same vibrations from two different technical support people. Hey - they know their application. Go figure.
As they will be discontinuing support for MacOS 8.6 within the next year or so - outrageous, you are thinking, I know, I know - I am as outraged as you - I am putting together a 9.2.2 machine in preparation for that unfortunate day. As their software does not and will not use the Altivec engine of the G4, and as speed has not been much of an issue for their application even on Old World Macs, I figure a solid G3 machine looks like the best prospect for several years. In a few years they will likely have a MacOSX application up and running, and a few years after that discontinue MacOS 9.2.2 support - Luddites! -
And I will then put together another machine designed around the specific needs of their application - plus a few years forward window - when that time comes.
This methodology has worked out pretty well over the years. It is economical, but more importantly - things run fast, solid and stable. All the bugs are long-ago worked out. Call me agoraphobic, but there are some situations in which you just do not want to be anywhere close to the cutting edge.
So - it looks like a MacOS 9.2.2 minimum install on B&W G3 450 (Rev 2) with minimum control panels, extensions, peripherals and applications and a fast hard drive(s) should be a good bet..
Possibly running a RAID 1 setup on a pair of mirrored drives this time around for data integrity: I have never done this before, but it looks like a prudent concept. Technical support at SoftRAID says this setup should work fine. I have never set up a RAID box before: to anyone out there has experience with RAID 1, I would appreciate your thoughts. No substitute for backing up, of course, but one more step in makiing the data a little more secure.
A major purpose of obtaining a good reference book for MacOS 9.x.x is to learn which control panels and extensions I can disable in order to pull off a minimum install and still make everything work. I guess a copy of Conflict Catcher and a copy of Extension Overload will be helpful for the weeding process, as well. Been a while since I've done this - just need to get back into the groove.
I don't forsee any problems.
Thanks, All,
Epaminondas
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An Irish Airman foresees his Death
I know that I shall meet my fate
Somewhere among the clouds above;
Those that I fight I do not hate
Those that I guard I do not love;
My country is Kiltartan Cross,
My countrymen Kiltartan’s poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
Nor public man, nor cheering crowds,
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.
Yeats
