Over the years the Photos app and Quick View in Finder have gained a set of photo editing features, allowing users to make basic edits to their picture/photo files without going out of their way to install something that could do such things. While these features are indeed convenient and helpful, they lack the refined precision of an application like Adobe Photoshop which is far more flexible with a vast arrange of tools at your disposal.
Photoshop can indeed be a bit of a learning curve, but in the time I spent learning how to use the program and ways I’ve benefitted from the skills – I’d say it was worth it. While I’m no graphics arts expert of any sorts, I’ve managed to get many things done including making logos and art for Low End Mac articles and this website.
This day in age many apps and services follow more of a subscription model, which is true unfortunately for Photoshop CS, being offered for $22.99 per month on Adobe’s website. Having a depreciated PowerPC or Intel Mac means you can have a dedicated photo editing machine with a standalone app that doesn’t need a subscription, payment, or. connection to the internet. What’s been made thus far – even the one made free by Adobe (CS2) is a good option. That is an even older version which can only run on machines up to Snow Leopard, and as early as Jaguar.
In this article I’m gonna talk about one version of Adobe Photoshop – CS4, as it is an app from 2008 so therefore can run on both PowerPC and intel but also is newer so it has more features. CS4 is available on the Macintosh Garden for download, and the activation servers are no longer required for this abandonware to work. In my case on my Power Mac G5 I have to deal with an unusual workaround, but it’s a small issue to deal with when in return you can take advantage of CS4.
System Requirements (CS4)
See: Link on the Macintosh Garden
Mac OS
• PowerPC® G5 or multicore Intel® processor, unofficially runs well on 7450 G4s.
• Mac OS X v10.4.11–10.5.4 (10.5.6 in 11.0.1, 10.5.8 in 11.0.2)
• 512 MB of RAM (1GB of RAM or more recommended)*
• 2GB of available hard-disk space for installation
• 1,024 x 768 display (1,280 x 800 recommended) with 16-bit or greater video card
• DVD-ROM drive
• Some GPU-accelerated features require graphics support for Shader Model 3.0/OpenGL 2.0
• QuickTime 7.2 required for multimedia features
• Broadband Internet connection required for online services
*NOTE: 3D features in Photoshop Extended require a minimum of 1GB RAM
(Above: Running Adobe Photoshop CS4 on a Power Mac G5)
Using a Power Mac G5
Part of the reason I put together the Power Mac G5 Dual 2.0 was to run Adobe Photoshop CS4 in Leopard/Sorbet Leopard. I also went for a strong graphics card – a 256 MB ATI Radeon X850XT which was originally a PC card but flashed with a Mac ROM. It uses an SSD RAID0 array, is topped up with 8 GB of RAM, and uses a 1080p display. Photoshop runs plenty fast and has a decent amount of space on this monitor.
- See: Enable momentum scrolling on your PowerPC Mac
- Also: Keepin’ the Power Mac G5 running cool: What worked for me
- Tech Specs on this: Maximizing the AGP Power Mac G5 into space.. and beyond!
I would strongly recommend using the Magic Mouse with Photoshop as you have 360 degree scrolling. This is quite helpful with moving around a picture in mostly any application in Mac OS X/macOS/OS X, but will also save you time with navigating and make it less tedious to use the application overall. Magic Trackpads are also good for this situation too, although I personally only use them on laptops. The multitouch surface works perfectly well and is ahead of it’s time – giving this PowerPC Power Mac G5 have tinges of modernity.
Using a PowerBook G4 Hi-Res
Just like the Power Mac G5, the PowerBook G4 1.67 Hi-Res is another machine I put together partly for using Photoshop, to mirror many of the same things which can be done on a Power Mac G5, but away from the desk. Over time projects can fill a drive, so I opted to get a 1TB fanxiang msata SSD a while back.
The Power Mac G5 definitely feels like the more competent machine as CS4 is not even officially supported on the G4, but it still runs quite well on the PowerBook nonetheless. Among the many other reasons one could look at a PowerBook G4 from 20 years ago and get utility out of it, Photoshop was one of the best tools for sure. It’s always fun hopping on a PowerPC Mac again with the purpose of intently using the machine with a project!
Why Adobe Photoshop
This app contains a wide array of tools to edit photos with that are well refined and precise. The greatest reason I can give as to why I use Photoshop is the degree to which I have precise control over editing the photos or making creations I have. There are plenty of filters, multiple types of lasso tools, refined control inputs that edit the type of tool you use to edit the image with, etc;
- You can zoom into an image and trace any shape on the screen, make custom selections, or allow the magnetic lasso tool to make a selection by intelligently tracing an outline in an image. Personally I don’t use that one often.
- Precise image guides allow you to make very pinpoint, clean edits. The Guide tool lets you put a custom value rather than dragging a cyan colored line. It can help with centering things, keeping things in line, organized, etc;
- This is just one of the many filters available in the filter gallery. This is just one of the many ways you can stylize an image overall.
- Image creation and making art can require more skill, but I believe it’s worth learning the skill as the tools give you a comprehensive way of fine tuning every nook and cranny. This is just one of the many endless ways text can be stylized – this example above was done manually by me, it is not a preset or image resource file from anywhere.
Learning To Use Photoshop
It can take some time, it all depends on how much energy and effort you are willing to invest on learning to use the program. I learned by taking classes when I was going to school, it was something I very much enjoyed and ended up benefiting as a skillset in the long run. Plus any time I thought of adding an edit or a lil’ flare to a photo, the imagination would make it’s way out.
The “Photoshop in a Classroom CS4” book is rather inexpensive these days and may come with the lesson CDs. I have one of my own from a copy I had back in the day, may upload it to the internet archive sometime. I lost the copy of the book but it’s only $6.49 on Amazon so I went ahead and got another copy – brush up on any lost skills.
- Ptgmedia: Photoshop Classroom in a book instructor notes
- Macintosh Garden: Adobe Photoshop CS4 Classroom in a Book
There is a copy being put up on the Macintosh Garden, it contains the instructor manual, the 400+ page student book, and the original CD .toast image to help you learn the basics of Photoshop.
Benefits of precision
Don’t get me wrong, the photo editing tools on newer versions of macOS are better there than not, I’m not knocking them at all. I got excited seeing the “remove background” option only to see it skip over shadows in Photos in Sequoia, while in Photoshop CS4 I can do a precise guide line and create a precise shape.
- Click to enlarge image above.
- Remove background in Sequoia results in Jagged edges sometimes, it didn’t address the CD hole at the center, and the slight shadow created by the CD created an area around the top right side that wasn’t cropped out at all.
- When editing on my Power Mac G5, for example: I can use precise guides to make a precise circle shape to cutout the CD to it’s exact shape.
In Conclusion
There are a multitude of reasons a person would use their old machine. The Mantra at Low End Mac has and always will be: We believe in the long term value of Apple hardware. You should be able to use your Apple gear as long as it helps you remain productive and meets your needs, upgrading only as necessary. We want to help maximize the life of your Apple gear.
Adobe Photoshop is yet another one of the ways one can prolong the life and use of an older machine like the ones pictured in this article, and give justified reasons for snagging upgrades for said vintage hardware.
With macOS Sequoia being able to access Mac OS X Leopard directly in Finder once File Sharing is enabled in Leopard, you can just drag and drop your files from your newer Mac to have worked on in the older Mac. In essence, your depreciated PowerPC or Intel Mac effectively become extensions of your local Mac ecosystem.
