I want to use OS X. I really do. But little things I really need
keep yanking me back to 9. Odd little errors, missing functions,
software that won't work and that I can't afford to replace.
Changing from OS 9 to OS X is not like switching from OS 7 to
8, or even 6 to 7. It's more like going from an Apple II to a Mac II
with an Apple II card inside. It works, sort of, but not everything
works on the Apple II card, and the disks don't match, and things
aren't quite . . . right . . . sometimes.
My latest backtrack occurred when I ordered a new Snow iMac for my four-year-old
twin boys right off the Apple Store. My wife and I agreed that we
should get a machine that could hold all of their programs and games at
once. I thought I could set it up through Multiple Users and restrict
access to the programs I specified. This isn't an Internet access
issue; the machines are not connected to the Internet and are not
likely to be for some time - on purpose.
All I really wanted to do was prevent my very observant and clever
four year old son Jonathan from accidentally deleting the System Folder
or some such. He's already reinstalled QuickTime 2 over QuickTime 4
when I wasn't looking, tried to sign up for AOL about 20 times, and
renamed the hard drive jdfi88393#@nm3jre.
My brand-spankin' new machine arrived with OS X as the dominant
OS, as I'd read about around the Mac Web. True to form, the machine was
out of the box, booted, and allowed me to skip registration steps
within 15 minutes. Asked once, verified once, then left me alone. Say
what you will about Apple, they got that part right.
I soon discovered that the Users control panel lacked many of the
niceties that Multiple Users get, such as the ability to specify a
panel-based login. Bam - back to OS 9.
First, I created a login for the boys with no password. Jonathan
picked up on the steps right away. Benjamin gets Jonathan to log in for
him when necessary.
Many of the programs my kids use - Living Books, some Disney stuff,
and so on - require that the CD be inserted to operate. I don't want my
four year olds handling the CDs. Jonathan showed off how strong he was
by snapping one in half right in front of my eyes. Pow!
So I tried copying the entire CD directory to the hard drive. That
worked in several cases, but if a CD has audio tracks, all you get are
aliases to the invisible audio files.
Next I tried making disk images with Disk Copy. Success! Most of the
CDs worked fine as a disk image. There were a few exceptions, but so
far 5 of 6 educational programs work. The ones with audio disk
partitions don't work yet. I'm still trying to figure that out.
I witnessed Mom trying to keep the kids hands off the keyboard and
mouse while waiting for the mounted disk verification and saw that was
definitely a big problem. So I wrote a little AppleScript to mount all
the CDs at once:
tell application "Macintosh HD:Applications (Mac OS
9):Utilities:Disk Copy" activate mount alias "Macintosh HD:Boys
CD-ROMs:Cat in the Hat.img" without checksum verification quit end
tell
Then I saved it as a compiled AppleScript and put it in the Boys'
Startup Items folder.
When the boys logged in, the panels came up with the approved
software list, and then they clicked on one that used one of my virtual
CD-ROMs. Program starts - BOOM - program dies. The computer's still
working, so I tried again. And again. And with many different settings,
again and again and again.
"Some programs are just not compatible with the Panels environment,"
said the help file.
So it's back to OS 9, with the Finder hidden in the background,
AppleScript in the Startup Items folder, and the Launcher. It works,
but those panels would have been sweeter. OS X doesn't have these
little mature features, and it's just going to have to wait for
now.
BTW, Apple shipped the iMac with OS X 10.1.3 installed. I might be
eligible for one of those Jagwire Up To Date programs, so I might
spring the $20 needed to get the upgrade CD.
Got another machine on the way. Since Apple, in its infinite wisdom,
no longer offers a classic iMac with a DVD-ROM, I had to go to
eBay. Sometimes only Jimmy Neutron can save the day.
There goes my summer job money and saved up consulting fees. (Been a
teacher for 12 years, and I've had one summer off. One.) My checking
account is already disconnected from PayPal, so don't even think about
it (thanks, Dan).
Anyway, if you have kids, that configuration should keep them from
scrapping the OS for a while. It's not foolproof, but what is?
Of course, the best solution is to sit with your kid as they use the
computer. I've gotten so familiar with most of the stuff they do I can
tell by listening if something isn't right. I don't sit down with them
at the machine often enough, but at least I'm in the same room most of
the time.
Right now, I have to go help Buzz Lightyear build a rocket. Benjamin
loves rockets. Can't imagine where he gets it from.
is a longtime Mac user. He was using digital sensors on Apple II computers in the 1980's and has networked computers in his classroom since before the internet existed. In 2006 he was selected at the California Computer Using Educator's teacher of the year. His students have used NASA space probes and regularly participate in piloting new materials for NASA. He is the author of two books and numerous articles and scientific papers. He currently teaches astronomy and physics in California, where he lives with his twin sons, Jony and Ben.< And there's still a Mac G3 in his classroom which finds occasional use.
