Mac OS is the name for the operating system on Macintosh computers. Before receiving its current name, it was simply called the System. Mac OS in its earliest form was introduced in 1984, and was strongly influenced by other systems like the GUI that was developed by Xerox around the same time. Mac OS featured several innovative tools including a graphics toolkit for app development and support for longer file names, to name just two.
Technipages Explains Mac Os
Among the features included in Mac OS were also a built-in SCSI interface that allowed the machine to connect to peripheral devices natively, built-in LocalTalk networking which is part of Apple’s AppleTalk technology and allowed the computer to connect to devices like printers. Until the 1990s, there was little in the way of active competition, however by then, the rivalry between Mac OS and Windows was more or less fully formed.
In order to stay ahead of the game, Apple released a major upgrade in the form of System 7. System 7 was, unfortunately, a complete failure – it had several major flaws and also failed to address the major way in which it was lagging behind other OS – the lack of support for preemptive multitasking. This made Apple machines inefficient when it came to switching tasks and completing multiple orders at the same time.
By 2001, Apple abandoned its System code altogether and settled on a Unix-based approach instead – with major success. While Apple computers are by no means as popular as their phone variations, they are still a successful branch of the company, and they all run on Mac OS. Over the years and throughout various versions, Apple made significant improvements to the early stages of their proprietary OS.
Common Uses of Mac Os
- Mac OS was the successor to System, Apple’s original OS.
- Because of System 7’s flaws, Apple ultimately changed to a Unix-based development approach.
- Modern versions of Mac OS incorporate many new features and tools, and managed to carve a niche into the computer market for Apple.
Common Misuses of Mac Os
- Mac OS was the name of an early computer model Apple released.