Mac os x versions list mac os#
Later versions of the Mac OS eliminated 24-bit support and MacTCP networking in favor of 32-bit addressing and Open Transport. System 7 reached version 7.5.5 while still supporting the 68000 CPU found in the Mac Plus, Classic, Portable, and PowerBook 100. 1996) improved virtual memory and memory management on PowerPC Macs. 1996) introduced Open Transport networking and also improved 680×0 emulation. MacTCP made it easier to connect to the Net.
Mac os x versions list software#
1994) incorporated many features formerly provided by third-party software – the menu bar clock, WindowShade, Stickies, and a hierarchical Apple menu among them. System 7.1.2 (March 1994) was the first to support PowerPC processors, which only operate in 32-bit mode.The Centris 660av and Quadra 840av, introduced in July 1993, are the only 68040 Macs that do not support 24-bit operation.
System 7.0 was the last version you didn’t have to buy – you could buy blank disks and have your Apple dealer copy it for free. System 7.0 (June 1991) made multitasking a standard feature, added support for the 68040 CPU, introduced support for 32-bit addressing so it could handle more than 8 MB of RAM, gained virtual memory, gave us Balloon Help, and added aliases, among other things. System 6.0 added support for the 68030 CPU and 1.4 MB floppies when it shipped in April 1988.System 5.0 (System 4.2/Finder 6.0) gave us MultiFinder, the Mac’s first multitasking software, in Oct.System 4.0/Finder 5.4 introduced AppleShare in Jan.System 3.0/Finder 5.1 added SCSI support, introduced with the Mac Plus in Jan.System 2.1/Finder 5.0 added support for Apple’s HD 20 hard drive in Sept.System 2.0/Finder 4.1 introduced multiple folders and added the Shut Down command in April 1985.After a while, the System file and Finder had different version numbers, which got kind of confusing, and neither corresponded to the System Software version.
You could say that with each major OS version since System 6, Apple draws a line in the sand that some models cannot cross.Īt the beginning of the Macintosh platform in 1984, it was just called Macintosh System Software. This is quite the opposite of the Windows world, where Windows XP continued to be a popular choice during the entire Vista era and even into the Windows 7 age. In the Mac universe, there is no possibility of users sticking with a particular older version of the Mac OS and running it on brand new hardward. One big difference between Macs and PCs is that because Apple builds the hardware and the software, there is both a minimum version of the Mac OS that a specific model can run – and a maximum. Today marks the 15th birthday of Mac OS 8, but the operating system’s name is perhaps more significant than any of its features.