Mac Bible Software, POP3 Gmail Access, Eudora 5.2 and SSL, OS 9.1 on NuBus Macs, and More

• Bible Software for Macs
• Why Are They Called Email "Clients"?
• Gmail
• Eudora, SSL, Gmail
• POP3 Client for Older Macs
• Dwindling Support for Older Macs
• Re: OS 9 on 8100?
• Phillip with the Power Mac 8100
• CD Archiving Program?
• Ethernet on an SE
• WMA to MP3 Conversion
• Apple IIgs & IIe Software

Bible Software for Macs

From Claire Hart

Charles,

I've had your article at http://lowendmac.com/misc/01/1219.html bookmarked for quite a while.

My MacBible floppies are no longer recognizable in my new PowerBook and Blueberry iMac, and I am tired of always having to be online to access Bible text. So I looked up your articles written 12/19/01 and 1/9/02, and realized that they are nearly three years old (!!!), which is very old in computer years. (isn't a computer year equivalent to about 20 human years?) Anyway, as I was reading through your info again, I realized that since I rarely go into Classic mode, I need to stick to something OS X native, and that led me to wonder if perhaps you might have written a more recent article.

Do you have a more recent review of Bible software? I am ready to compare and buy, so any links or info you have would be greatly appreciated. In our area, Mardel's Bookstore has the largest supply of Bible software, and they don't have a thing for Macs. I have checked out Accordance's website, and they really have a lot to offer. However, it's always nice to have more than one choice.

Since becoming a student (1994) and then a leader (1996) of Precept Ministries Bible studies, I have learning to appreciate the various study helps.

Sincerely,
Claire Hart

Hi Claire,

Yes, I really should do another review.

However, in the meantime, the Christian Mac User Group's (CMUG) David Lang has posted the results of his second annual survey of Mac Bible software users, which I think you will find interesting.

Bible Software Applications Profiled

• Accordance Bible Software
• Online Bible
• MacSword
• iLumina
• iBible
• Bible Reader Free
• AGES Digital Libraries: Bookends
• Internet Bibles
  • Crosswalk.com
  • the Bible Gateway
  • the Blue Letter Bible
  • ESV website
  • the Net Bible
  • New Advent
  • Project Runeberg.
• Palm Software:
  • Bible Reader
  • MyBible
  • PocketBible

Personally, I've switched entirely to using the freeware Bible Reader Free and MacSword applications, which are new, OS X native projects that do everything BibleViewer does and much more. MacSword has the advantage in versatility and a wide range of available supported translations and study texts, but the one I start up most often is Bible Reader free, which now supports the American Standard Version and several other translations as well as my mainstay, the Authorized (King James) version. I encourage anyone who uses Bible software to check it out.

Charles

Why Are They Called Email "Clients"?

From John Black

Charles,

I always enjoy reading your contributions to Low End Mac. Today I was reading your account of your attempt to get POP3 working on a PowerBook 1400. Sounds like your conclusion was right: The more advanced technology becomes, the less capable old equipment becomes. I've found the same to be true as I've had, from time to time, the necessity of abandoning a favorite Mac in favor of something newer and more powerful. For both economic and value reasons, I buy only used Macs, so I'm always a generation or two behind, but happy with what I have.

I figure a thinking man like you can answer a trivial question I have. Why are email applications called "clients"? I'm an architect, and the clients we use are dependent on us for a service, and they pay us for that service. If anything, in computer terms, we are the "clients," as we are dependent to one degree or another on technology, and we certainly pay for the privilege of using it. I find the term "client," therefore, inappropriate for describing software and hope that an influential man like you will take the lead in ceasing to use this term improperly.

Thanks again for your contribution to the Mac community.

John Black

Hi John,

Thanks for reading. I'm reasonably happy with my fleet of out-of-date Macs too.

According to Wikipedia: "e-mail client - An application that runs on a personal computer or workstation and enables you to send, receive and organize e-mail. It's called a client because e-mail systems are based on a client-server architecture. Mail is sent from many clients to a central server, which reroutes the mail to its intended destination."

So, based on that definition and context, "email client" is appropriate terminology.

It is also ubiquitous. A Google search for "email client" turned up over 20 million returns.

Charles

Gmail

From Mads Gorm Larsen

Hi Charles

Just a quick note on your problem with Gmail. Like many others I have several mail accounts, and I have noticed that it takes a long time to make the connection to Gmail via POP3 compared to all other mail account I have. I don't think it takes a long time to download the mails, but checking password and making the connection takes a long time, and this must be worse on a slow connection, so perhaps there is somehow related to the slow connection.

Best regards
Mads Gorm Larsen

Hi Mads,

I've noticed that, too, although the lag seems variable depending upon the time of day (and server load?). Gmail is still a beta. I expect they are working on this issue.

Charles

Eudora, SSL, Gmail

From Patrick Fergus

Your article about Eudora and Gmail piqued my curiosity, especially since Eudora has dozens of options that are not available via the GUI, and they tend to be rarely used. I found a forum posting discussing Eudora and Gmail <http://www.gmailforums.com/index.php?showtopic=6605>.

That points to a Eudora KnowledgeBase article <http://www.eudora.com/techsupport/kb/2456hq.html>, which indicates that there were some substantive changes with SSL in 5.2. You can get Eudora 5.2 from <http://tinyurl.com/2lnd5>.

Since 5.2 (and probably 5.21) seems to require only 8.1 to work <http://tinyurl.com/6bdh7>, you might be able to get it to work.

Good luck,
- Patrick

Hi Patrick,

I have a Eudora 5.2 installer on my Pismo. When I get a spare moment, I will transfer it to the 1400 and see if that proves the charm.

Thanks for the research.

Charles

POP3 Client for Older Macs

From Bryan Wiggins

Charles,

By the time I discovered it, I was using a 200 MHz 604 (Umax S900), but a Japanese program called Musashi was the absolute embodiment of lean and mean. Don't know if it's still actively developed, and at the time was around $25, but I thought it was well worth it.

- Bryan

/'\ ASCII Ribbon Campaign
\ / No HTML/RTF in email
 X No Word docs in email
/ \ Respect for open standards

Hi Bryan,

I've reviewed Musashi, although some years back. It's still available, but it hasn't been updated for several years. I would be very surprised if it supports the SSL that POP3 Gmail requires.

Charles

Dwindling Support for Older Macs

From Kevin Weise

Mr. Moore,

FWIW, its not just for email, either. My son is in the 5th grade, there are two Macs in his bedroom that he's had for years, a PM 7100 and a Umax C600 (with 320 MHz G3 upgrade), both with RAM maxed out.

The 7100 is running Mac OS 8.6 for one specific program (although I've had 9.1 on it before); the C600 has Mac OS 9.2.2 on it (thanks to OS9Forever.com). But he primarily likes games (both on CD and Internet sites), and although he has quite a few that play well, the newer ones don't work on his equipment. They're either too slow, or Netscape doesn't render properly, or (gasp!) they require Mac OS X.

Seeing as how Mom & Dad have Mac OS X on their systems (iBook G4 & PowerBook Lombard G3/400, resp.), he wants (& needs) a Mac OS X system, too. I wonder how long that 350 MHz G4 (Yikes!) donation that is unwanted by his school will last him? (By the same token, I wonder how long that Lombard will last me? It's made 5-1/2 years so far!) I plan to give him that Yikes! machine, but he's still having trouble letting go of the computers he currently has, even though they're antiques & don't provide the power that he wants.

Kevin J. Weise

Hi Kevin,

I'm still using my old WallStreet daily running OS 9.2.2, but I'm getting more and more addicted to OS X. I don't think I would be very happy with X performance on a 233 MHz G3 with a 800 x 600 monitor, however.

I expect that the old Lombard (and early iBooks) may be the next models cut from current OS X support (lack of built-in FireWire would be a logical cutoff criterion), although I've heard nothing about that coming with Tiger, so you may have some service life headroom yet.

Charles

Re: OS 9 on 8100?

From Philip May

Hi Charles.

Yes. It says:

Note: A Mac OS 9.1 CD is required for installation on NuBus-based Power Macintosh computers; see technical document 106089

Since I have an 8100 (a NuBus Mac) I would have to have the CD to install it. No? Maybe there's something I don't understand.

Philip

Hi Philip,

No, it's more an issue with the NuBus machines that I wasn't aware of or had forgotten.

Come to think of it, I've only ever used CDs to install OS 9.1 on our PowerBook 1400s, which are NuBus architecture.

Charles

Phillip with the Power Mac 8100

From Ken Watanabe

Charles,

"If you have any version of OS 9, from 9.0 on up, you can update right up to OS 9.2.2 for free, although 9.1 is the latest build supported for your 8100."

Regarding Philip Mayor with the G3-upgraded Power Mac 8100... Normally, you would be right. However, with the NuBus Power Macs (6100, 7100, 8100, and related models), the upgrade to 9.1 requires a Mac OS 9.1 Full Install CD. For some reason, Apple did not support those oldest of Mac OS 9 compatible Macs with the free updaters.

I would also recommend finding the "retail" 9.1 CD, the ones that are white with the big orange 9. The other ones (CDs that came with new Macs) may (?) work for Phillip, because he has a G3 upgrade, but the retail 9.1 CD is a safer bet. And like you mentioned in the article, it is definitely best to do a clean install from the CD instead of updating an existing Mac OS installation.

If Philip does really have Mac OS 9.0.1, he should at least update it to Mac OS 9.0.4, which IS a free updater that DOES work on the good ol' 8100.

- Ken Watanabe (with his G3 Power Mac 8100)

Hi Ken,

You're right, and I was mistaken. I either never knew or had forgotten about the NuBus issue.

I also agree with your good advice about install CDs. Other World Computing had some OS 9.1 Full Install CDs for $49.95, but I don't know if there are any left.

http://eshop.macsales.com/

Charles

CD Archiving Program?

From Steven Hunter

So we have 18 Jaz disks we want to move to CD-R. The problem is that some of the disks hold more than 700 MB, so it isn't going to be a 1:1 ratio. My problem is that I want to make best use of the space without having to manually figure out what files to put where. I can copy the disks to the hard drive, but I need a utility that will separate them into 700 MB folders for burning to CD-R. Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Steven Hunter

Hi Steven,

I can't recall any utility that does that. If there is one, perhaps someone in readerland can help point the way.

Charles

Ethernet on an SE

From: Keith Jones

Charles,

Recently, you wrote, in your column, "DSL? I don't think the SE supports an ethernet card* (the SE/30 does), so that would be out."

If the SE has a SCSI port on the back, then SCSI-to-ethernet adapters work just fine. I have one for my Mac Classic and have shared connections over ethernet before.

Just a thought.
Keith

I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for the suggestion.

Charles

WMA to MP3 Conversion

From Peter da Silva

I noticed one of your readers commenting about WMP problems.

If they're trying to play WMV video, they're out of luck, but for WMA audio files I've recently found a program, EasyWMA, that lets you convert WMA to MP3.

Works like a charm.

Thanks for the tip, Peter.

Charles

Editor's note: EasyWMA is donationware.

Apple IIgs & IIe Software

From Michael Tulloch

I assume he's looking for System 6.x files and other old operating systems for these machines. The best place to start really is a2central.com. They have a lot of that stuff for download. If he needs them on 3.5" diskettes, he can check out http://store.syndicomm.com/.

~Mike

Thanks, Mike.

Charles

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