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What to use:
Almost everything that works on a
desktop Mac also works on a PowerBook. On this page, there's a rough and
ready guide to what to use on various PowerBooks.
What OS should I use?
68000 (PowerBook 100)
The PB100 supports up to 7.5.5, but
you'll need 4MB RAM minimum to run it. 100s with only 2MB would also find
System 7.0 or 7.1 difficult to run effectively. There was (and is ) a special
version of System 6.08 for the 100. Advice: upgrade the RAM, to the 8MB
maximum if possible.
68030 (PowerBooks 140-180c; Duo 210-270)
The 140s and 170s come with only
2MB as standard and 8MB maximum. So 7.1 or 7.5.1 at a pinch with 4MB is
about as high as you should go. 7.1 is preferable and does most things
pretty effectively. I used 7.1 for years with few problems , although 7.5
has more bells and whistles. 7.1 will be definitely faster though. The
latest supported is 7.6.1, but avoid it unless you have, say, a Duo with
a lot of RAM. Even then it won't fly. Keep it in mind that while 7.1 isn't
freely available, full installs of OS 7.0.1 and 7.5.3 are free downloads
from Apple.
68040 (PowerBooks 190, 500 and Duo 280)
The 500s and 280 require 7.1 as a minimum, while the 190 needs 7.5.2. Apple has pulled down 7.5.2 from its ftp sites, but it's probably on your 190 hard disk already if you haven't got the floppies. Otherwise download 7.5.3 which contains all the 7.5.2's revisions.
All of these PBs probably run fastest
on 7.6.1, although OS 8.1 is more stable and elegant. Anyone with OS 8.0
has no excuse for not updating to the free 8.1. With 8.1, 040 PB users
have access to HFS+ hard and removable disks that they might want to use
or plug into. But of course 040s cannot boot from a HFS+ disk.
PowerPC PowerBooks
Like the 190, the 5300 needs 7.5.2 as a minimum system. Again, you can download 7.5.3 as 7.5.2 was no a good system. The 5300, like the 040s, may run fastest with 7.6.1, but I prefer 8.5.1. You can compromise with 8.1 if you want both speed and stability, although 8.5.1 has been remarkably stable on my 5300. The same applies to the 1400/117, although 1400/133s and 1400/166s can run 8.5.1 more speedily for obvious reasons. The 1400 requires 7.5.3 and *will not* run 7.5.5. The earlier 117s and 133s came with 7.5.3 CDs.
The 3400s run their own version of 7.6.1 in their original state, but run anything later very well. The Kanga G3s also came with 7.6.1. The 2400 and Main Street/Wall Street G3s will also run anything from OS 8.0 onward.
Of course, all PPC 'Books - even
the upgraded PB500 perhaps - will run OS 8.6 (due 19 April 1999; free download).
PowerBook utilities
For recommendations on utiltiies, see the list on the PowerBook
190 page.
68000 CPUs (PowerBook 100 only)
- Word-processing: Microsoft Word 3.0 or 4.0; 5.1 runs but is sluggish. Word 4.0-5.1's file formats are the same. NisusWriter v.4 or earlier is a full-featured, fast, multilingual word processor; ClarisWorks gives you word processing, spreadsheet, database [a slimmed-down FileMaker Pro], paint, draw and communication tools. You can run up to version 3.0 (2.1 also available). ClarisWorks 4.0 and 5.0 don't run as they need newer processors (68020 and up). Cheap and probably the best value. MacWrite and MacWrite Pro are pretty good too - and fast on a 68000. And free as I understand it. Your local Apple User Group can (legally) make disk copies for you.
What about Microsoft Works?
What about it? Why would you ask such a question? It only exists because Microsoft give it away on Wintel machines so people have something to look while they wait for viruses to infect their system.
How about 68030-based PowerBooks?(PB140-180c; Duo 210-270)
For word processing,the same applies as above. Don't bother with Word 6.0.1. It's just too slow and buggy. If you need compatibility with Windoze, go for MacLinkPlus (www.dataviz.com) or download converters for Mac/Windows version 6.0 or Word 97/98 from Microsoft (www.microsoft.com/macoffice). These don't work perfectly at all but they permit Word 5.0/5.1 users to maintain backward compatibility. For other files formats (WordPerfect, Word for MS-DOS, Word 2.0 for Windows, AppleWorks (the Apple II version) and so on, go with ClarisWorks which includes free file translaters via its Xtend system.
ClarisWorks 4.0 runs well on '030 PowerBooks, although I haven't tested 5.0 on an 030 (though I will shortly). Excel 5.0 does run sort of okay, but I'd be going for Excel 3.0 or 4.0 which users of more recent versions of Excel users can open anyway. Much faster than 5.0.
Quicken 4.0 runs well for budgeting. I use it because I haven't needed to upgrade to anything else. If you have that much tax to pay, you can afford a G3.
Networking software:
All 68030 PowerBooks and later can run Open Transport provided they have at least 5MB of physical RAM. PB owner's with less can use MacTCP 2.06. The latest supported version for 030s is 1.1.2 and for 040s it's 1.3 (comes with 8.1). OT 1.3 won't install on anything less than a 040. BUT a drag-install will work. I simply copied the OT extensions plus the TCP/IP and AppleTalk control panels over to my LCII (16MHz 68030) and it worked without any problems whatsoever. And even made it a bit faster (believe it or not).
Even OT 2.0.1 from OS 8.5.1 works on 040 machines! It's true. Same as above, drag install. Did it on an LC575 (68LC040, 33MHz). Worked fine but didn't notice same performance gain as with OT 1.2->1.3. You can try it on your PowerBook 190 or PowerBook 500
OT 1.1.1 and 1.1.2 is available free from Apple. Note that 'Books without OT installed will need to install OT 1.1.1 *first* and *then* install 1.1.2 over it. 1.3 will refuse to install from OS 8.1 on anything less than a 040 PB.
Note too that although OT (both 1.1.1 and 1.1.2) come as 4 disk sets, only Disks 1 and 2 are required in both instances for 030 and 040 machines. Save you some download time.
Caveat: Dan Knight at Low-End Mac (www.lowendmac.com) who's done extensive testing (more than I have that's for sure) reckons MacTCP is not only less memory hungry but is faster on 030 Macs.
OK, I sort of accept that, but MacTCP's preferences are easily corrupted, forcing you to trash MacTCP (control panel), MacTCP Prep (system folder) and MacTCP Prefs (preferences folder). You need to load a fresh copy of MacTCP and on restart the other 2 files will be rebuilt automatically. I got sick of doing this. OTOH, OT *never* has corrupt preferences and the slight trade off in speed or RAM is worth the convenience IMHO.
Internet connection software:
A few choices here.
Apple Remote Access Client: ARA versions 2.0 and 2.1 (bundled with PowerBooks 190 and 5300 amd probably later as well) allows you to dial into your office or home network and to access files at remote sites via AppleTalk. Although it works effectively enough, ARA 2x is fairly slow. To use it on a network you also need Apple Remote Access Server or Apple Remote Access Personal Server. Apple Remote Access 3.1 is bundled with MacOS 8.5 (and available as a standalone product). It combines both ARA and OT/PPP (see below) into one product. Overall, it appears much faster as an AppleTalk client than ARA 2.1.
Another client does the same trick: SonicPPP enables you to dialup AppleTalk networks with AppleTalk on, which is particularly useful on PowerBooks with only one serial port (other dialup client software can't use the PowerBook's single serial port as it gets taken over by AppleTalk).
FreePPP 2.6.2 is usually my dial-in software of choice. It's free, as the name suggests, from Rockstar (www.rockstar.com) the makers of Gearbox. FreePPP has a highly intuitive interface and there are *no problems* about dealing with modem scripts. PLug in and go. FreePPP permits unlimited location management, any number of modem configurations and easy connection via passwords or manual login. It also comes with a very useful menubar enhancement called PPPMenu and a control strip.
OT/PPP 1.01 is free from Apple. However, OT/PPP relies upon modem scripts for connection. Most popular brands have scripts already written for them though. On PPC PowerBooks, OT/PPP provides PowerPC native connections, although I've yet to discern any speed difference between it and FreePPP. Any 030 based PowerBook (140 and later) can use OT/PPP, provided it is running Open Transport. If you want to get onto Hotline (www.hotlinesw.com). OT/PPP is the only way to go as Hotline doesn't understand FreePPP.
InterSLIP is an old connection client which I don't know much
about. No longer supported to my knowledge. When my work used a SLIP connection,
I could never get it to work. Like OT/PPP it relies on a script - and often
a unique one based on the characteristics of your network. Forget it.
Browser Software
Quite a bit to choose from here. Let's take a look.
Netscape Communicator 4.51. My browser of choice. Takes up huge amounts of RAM but is very stable and its integrated news and mail I like. The standalone Netscape Navigator (current version 4.08) runs well on 040 and 030 PowerBooks (if a bit slow to load and startup). Some people favour version 4.05.Avoid early versions (4.0, 4.01).
Microsoft Internet Explorer: Current version is 4.5. Even more fully featured than Netscape Communicator, but it lacks integrated email, news and web-page construction tools. Can't stand it myself. It just crashes. To be fair, versions 4.0 and 4.01 never crashed, but that was only because they were so slow they never went anywhere in 3 hours. owever, many users swear by IE 4 so give it a try and see what you think. Just way too unstable in my opinion: feels like a beta product. Advice: Wait for IE 5.0. But if it's anything liek the Windoze version, it'll be a vertiable Hindenburg. Tried to install it on a PC the other day, but it demanded 60MB for the install. Not enough room on the drive. Hope the Mac version is a *lot* slimmer.
NOTE: These 2 versions of Netscape and IE only run on PowerPC PowerBooks.
Earlier versions:
For speed, you can't beat Netacape 2.02. It runs on an 030 quite reasonably. I've run it stably and successfully on a LCII which is a bit slower than a PB140 (both 16MHz 68030, but the 140 has a 32 bit data bus). On other 030s it works even better. Netscape 3.04 works well on both PPCs and 040 'Books like the Duo 280, 190 and 500 series, provided they have at least 16MB of RAM. I've never run 3.04 on a 030 as I've never used a 030 'Book with enough RAM in it to run it. Naturally things wil run faster without virtual memory or RAMDoubler. But 14MB RAM limits on 030 'Books like the 160 or 180 often make Netscape 3 problematic, so RD or VM can be the only alternative.
IE 3.01 works on either a 68K or PPC PB, and runs well on 040s like the 500 or low-end PPCs like the 1400 or 5300. However, it's a slug on a 160 or 180 IMHO. Strange in a way but it really needs a 040 to drive it.
IE 2.0 might be a bet, but although it was reasonably quick, it was less than stable on machines I'd tested it on.
I've not tested Netscape 1x, so can't comment, although it doesn't support Java - and neither does Netscape 2.02. A lot of sites use javascript and all you get are a bunch of errors and possibly crashes - which can make it a nuisance to use.
But one thing about IE and Netscape - you can't beat the price. Check out www.netscape.com and www.microsoft.com/ie
Owners of recent OS CDs (OS 8, 8.1, 8.5) will also find fairly recent versions of browsers on the CDs. Cyberdog is available on the OS 7.6 CD.
Enter iCab, the browser for the rest of us
iCab is the result of the efforts of two Mac developers from Germany (see www.icab.de). Already it has about 1% of the world browser market - and this is only the 'preview' version! The final version will be available around June 1999. But the preview (curreny v. 1.4) is extremely stable and has powerful features which even IE and Netscape do noy yet possess. It requires only 2MB RAM, although the application memoy heap grows with prolonged use. In a word, it is superb.
iCab will be available for DM49. A lite version will be available as a free download. Both 68K and PPC versions are available. Dunno if it works on a PB100 but try it and see.
Cyberdog
Cyberdog was Apple's foray into browser software. Given its relative age (about 1996-97), it's very advanced. It caches pages as fast as IE or iCab. It features a browser, ftp, telnet and mail. On fast PBs (2400, 3400, G3s), it's quick. It requires OpenDoc to work (install it first; you can get OpenDoc free from Apple). Cyberdog is an OpenDoc 'part' and is still the world's 3rd most popular browser. Apple pulled Cyberdog 2.0 from its ftp sites recently (strangely leaving Cyberdog 1.02 there), but you can get it from various places, including www.pure-mac.com
I don't advise Cyberdog on a 030 or 040 PowerBook although there is
a 68K version. Cyberdog does run better on OS 8.0 or later as OS 8.0 is
an OpenDoc 'contrainer'. But it's a good alternative to IE or Netscape
if you want all your internet tools in one integrated package.
Other browsers
NCSA Mosaic - the first real www browser. Currently at version 3. Can't claim extensive testing, but I don't find it that stable.
WannabePPC and Wannabe 68K - a very fast and stable test-only browser which I thoroughly recommend. It's lightning quick for browsing news sites, supports download and searches as well as multiple windows. It doesn't do forms though. You can download images - though not see them. It requires Colour QuickDraw, so it needs a PB140 at a mimimum. It won't run on the PB100.
MacLynx - another text-only browser. Runs well as I understand it.
MacWeb - an early Mac browser, no longer supported. Version 1x
is faster (and available in PPC). Version 2.0 supports tables, mail (outgoing
only) and has an excellent News interface. V. 2.0 is far too slow at drawing
pages, but may be the only alternative for a PB100.
