Thread
"Must Have" Stuff for Every Machine
Do you have any "must have" stuff that you install on every 68k or ppc Mac you own? If so, what are they?
These are the things that get installed on to every Mac I own and use:
- Networktime control panel goes on every Mac I have that runs any version of Mac OS prior to 8.6. Networktime sets the date and time from a server on the internet or, in my case, from a server on the local network.
- Stuffit expander goes on every machine I own. Every Mac that has a hard drive has Stuffit expander. It's one of those essential pieces that I always seem to need.
That's about all I can think of off the top of my head. The rest of the "must have" stuff is installed with the system software. Things like simpletext, etcetera.
These are the things that get installed on to every Mac I own and use:
- Networktime control panel goes on every Mac I have that runs any version of Mac OS prior to 8.6. Networktime sets the date and time from a server on the internet or, in my case, from a server on the local network.
- Stuffit expander goes on every machine I own. Every Mac that has a hard drive has Stuffit expander. It's one of those essential pieces that I always seem to need.
That's about all I can think of off the top of my head. The rest of the "must have" stuff is installed with the system software. Things like simpletext, etcetera.
Andrew Welch's Bomb Shelter goes on just about every Mac I've got.
I also put the Programmer's Key INIT on every Mac I've got that is missing a programmer's switch.
For all of my System 6 Macs, I install TrueType. I also include the SaintFrancis font, which is a TrueType public domain font that is essentially San Francisco.
Did I mention Teach Text? Oh wait, it comes with every installation of the OS.
I also put the Programmer's Key INIT on every Mac I've got that is missing a programmer's switch.
For all of my System 6 Macs, I install TrueType. I also include the SaintFrancis font, which is a TrueType public domain font that is essentially San Francisco.
Did I mention Teach Text? Oh wait, it comes with every installation of the OS.
The Grouch is always on all of my pre-platinum macintoshes.
RAM Doubler. I've got it installed on most of my System 7 & 8 Macs and it is a far better way to virtually increase RAM than using "Virtual Memory".
There's also a nice little extension called "Sticky Click" which makes drop down menus "stick" like in OS 8 and later. Make life easier, especially with PowerBooks.
There's also a nice little extension called "Sticky Click" which makes drop down menus "stick" like in OS 8 and later. Make life easier, especially with PowerBooks.
for 68k Macs at least:
ClarisWorks
NUM 3.1
Stuffit Expander
RAM Doubler and MaxRAM
System Update 3 (for System 7.1)
SuperClock! (for System 7.1)
ResEdit
ClarisWorks
NUM 3.1
Stuffit Expander
RAM Doubler and MaxRAM
System Update 3 (for System 7.1)
SuperClock! (for System 7.1)
ResEdit
Crystal Quest! 
I was just going through my old Mac software and I found MacEKG. So I want to add MacEKG to my list of must have software. There's something cool about hearing an old LC III or Quadra say, "Performing system diagnostics," at startup. [
] ]'>
] ]'>I'm running Norton Speed Disk on my LC III as I type this. [
] ]'>
CPU and RAM upgrades whenever possible.
A propos of LCGuy's reference to SuperClock!, I have a vague stirring of memory from Those Days when 68Ks were timeless—in a chronometrically-challenged kind of way—despite the internal Date & Time CP.
I remember that SuperClock! conflicted with D&T in such a way as to freeze the Mac if its settings (Clock, Alarm and whatever) were accessed, but gave no trouble if they were not. Can anyone remember whether there was a more positive work-around for the conflict? The conflict could even become a stand up, knock down, drag out stoush if the clock display of Møire was also enabled at the same time.
To LCGuy's list of desirables, having recently had some business with installing 'System 7.1.3' on two hard drives for PB 160s, I should add the whole suite of retrofits mentioned here, especially the AppearanceCDEV. Just be wary that Finder 7.1.3 is not bundled with Drag and Drop in the downloads from Apple, as promised (mistakenly, with Thread Manager) in that link. It has to be extracted from a System 7.5 Install disk with TomeViewer if you wish to use it. And look instead for Drag and Drop 1.1.1 rather than 1.1.
de
I remember that SuperClock! conflicted with D&T in such a way as to freeze the Mac if its settings (Clock, Alarm and whatever) were accessed, but gave no trouble if they were not. Can anyone remember whether there was a more positive work-around for the conflict? The conflict could even become a stand up, knock down, drag out stoush if the clock display of Møire was also enabled at the same time.
To LCGuy's list of desirables, having recently had some business with installing 'System 7.1.3' on two hard drives for PB 160s, I should add the whole suite of retrofits mentioned here, especially the AppearanceCDEV. Just be wary that Finder 7.1.3 is not bundled with Drag and Drop in the downloads from Apple, as promised (mistakenly, with Thread Manager) in that link. It has to be extracted from a System 7.5 Install disk with TomeViewer if you wish to use it. And look instead for Drag and Drop 1.1.1 rather than 1.1.
de
BeHierarchic for the menu on System7
ApplWindows for a better window behavior
Eyeballs in the menu bar
Bigfood on the Desktop
PopUpFolder for the better Folder behavior
ApplWindows for a better window behavior
Eyeballs in the menu bar
Bigfood on the Desktop
PopUpFolder for the better Folder behavior
SoundMaster -- Control Panel
:b&w:
:b&w:
Fetch (if it's on the network. I can run FTP sharing on the G5 and get software to the Mac very quickly. Only Fetch has to be installed using a floppy disk or some other slow method. All the other software can be added with Fetch.)
Stuffit Expander (transferred through Fetch as a .sea.bin. all other transfers can now be with .sit)
I don't use too many utilities like the menu bar clock, etc. Very few additional CDEVs, etc. because they can lead to instability.
Stuffit Expander (transferred through Fetch as a .sea.bin. all other transfers can now be with .sit)
I don't use too many utilities like the menu bar clock, etc. Very few additional CDEVs, etc. because they can lead to instability.
Symbionts or some other better INIT manager than the Extensions Manager
InformINIT
InformINIT
Not familiar with that problem. There were so many versions of SuperClock (and it was so popular) that I guess the bug got fixed pretty quickly. I do recall a System 6 or 7 bug where if you enabled the Alarm Clock and then removed the Alarm Clock DA, it would continue to generate alerts.
Darkside as a screensaver is not so bad.
Popchar
NUM
mode32
Think C++
MacsBug
Paracomp/Macromind Swivel 3D
MacRenderMan
Aldus SuperPaint
Adobe Illustrator '88
MacDraw II
Excel 4
Word 5.1a
JLK
JPEGView
SoundEdit Pro
WindowShade
SoftFPU (for PPC 68k FPU support)
Altsys Fontographer
NUM
mode32
Think C++
MacsBug
Paracomp/Macromind Swivel 3D
MacRenderMan
Aldus SuperPaint
Adobe Illustrator '88
MacDraw II
Excel 4
Word 5.1a
JLK
JPEGView
SoundEdit Pro
WindowShade
SoftFPU (for PPC 68k FPU support)
Altsys Fontographer