Newton Poetry

I saw an interesting post on Reddit this week: someone had developed an RSS reader for Mac OS 9.

That’s my kind of project, so I reached out to the developer, Alex Robb, about how (and why!) he came up with his Google News reader, Newsstand.

Tell us about yourself: Who are you, and what do you do?
I’m Alex Robb, I live in Chicago, and I work for a tech company as an analyst. I’m in my 30s, and I’ve been an Apple fan since I was a kid. My first Mac was a Macintosh Performa 5215CD, and even as a kid I played around with pro-level software like Adobe Photoshop 4 and REALbasic. I hadn’t played with those apps in decades, but quarantine and shelter in place allowed me to pick up this hobby again.

Developing for Mac OS is (a) amazing and (b) anochronistic! How much of a classic Mac user are you?
Developing for Mac OS 9 was a great experience, especially using an app like REALbasic, which is what I used to develop Newsstand.

I have six classic Macs: a PowerBook G3 PDQ, a PowerBook G3 Pismo (which I use the most), an iMac G4, a PowerMac G4 Cube, a 12″ PowerBook G4, and a Mac Mini G4. I also have a few generations of iPods and decades of Apple posters and pamphlets. I’m keeping an eye out for a Newton MessagePad and an eMate 300 to add to my collection too.

While I love playing old games on my Macs, I wish I was able to do more with them. The web is pretty limited on Mac OS 9, so I created Newsstand as a way to get a lot more use out of my Macs. With Newsstand, I’ve used my PowerBooks more than my M1 MacBook Air over the last few weeks.

I saw you took inspiration from the 68k.news site (which I love). What made you think that approach needed to have an app on OS 9?
I love Action Retro’s 68k.news, and I’m a daily reader of Google News on my phone. The inspiration for creating a standalone app though came from Apple’s eWorld service. eWorld’s news section was called Newsstand, which is where I got the name. I wanted a classic app that felt like reading the news in eWorld back in 1995. eWorld’s Newsstand had multiple sections, so I added a little over 200 topics to explore in Newsstand.

I’ve also been a fan of clean, Apple Platinum interfaces. Apps like REALbasic itself and MacAnalysis are some of my favorite examples. By taking the news out of the browser, I was able to create an original classic Mac interface that feels at home in the Applications folder.

What were some challenges you ran into in developing this app?
I encountered several. To make things even more difficult, I’ve never written any software in my life.

When I started development on Newsstand, I thought I could take the general idea Action Retro had with 68k.news and render the Google News RSS feed as a web page in an app. But my first barrier was that I couldn’t use REALbasic’s HTMLViewer control to display HTML. I think that’s because Mac OS 9 doesn’t have WebKit like Mac OS X. I ended up using a TCP/IP socket connection in REALbasic to connect to my web server, and then I had to parse the XML into a format that was usable by Newsstand. On my web server, I wrote the PHP scripts to pull the RSS feeds and process them as XML feeds. These were all heavy lifts for me. The end result of Newsstand though looks a lot more natural than an HTMLViewer anyway, and I’m really happy with how it turned out.

The second barrier I encountered was a lack of troubleshooting support. StackOverflow doesn’t exist for REALbasic. There weren’t forums where I could work through my technical obstacles. I had to rely on the user guide and language reference to build the app. Some simple things, like figuring out how to get File > Close to actually close a window, took me longer to figure out than I’d like to admit (it’s just: self.close).

The Xojo programming forum is as close as I could get to user help, but they quickly became suspicious of what I was doing since Xojo has a lot of the properties built out that I needed.

The last barrier I had to work through was the graphics. Mac apps can only display PICT files, not JPGs or GIFs. Adobe Photoshop 2020 can open PICT files, but it can’t save them. I ended up creating all of the graphics in Mac OS 9 using Adobe Photoshop 4.0.1.

These barriers pushed me to think creatively and, in the end, I felt I had a good-looking app.

What kind of user did you have in mind for Newsstand?
I built the app for myself. When I finished Newsstand though, I was proud of it and began sharing it. The Classic Apple community is a lot larger than I thought.

Do you see yourself doing versions of Newsstand for earlier Mac OSes? Mac OS X?
I’ve heard from users that Newsstand works on Mac OS 8.6. I may be able to use earlier versions of REALbasic to compile a version from Mac OS 8 too. But if I wanted to create a version for System Software 7.5 or earlier, I think I would need to rewrite the application in C, and I know that will be a difficult undertaking. I think Mac OS X would be a relatively easy port for Newsstand, and I’ll consider it if there’s demand.

Tell me about what else you’ve been working on? Any other classic Mac apps in mind?
I felt like I developed a new skill set and workflow by building Newsstand, and I’d like to keep creating more classic Mac applications. I have future updates planned for Newsstand, like adding your own feeds, and I have a few ideas for other apps I think could be nice additions to the classic Mac library.

I’d love to see others take on Mac OS 9 development too. If you’re even slightly interested in attempting to build your own Mac OS 9 app, definitely try REALbasic 5.5 and see what you can do with it.

After my inventory of all my classic Apple gear, the first big project was figuring out why my PowerMac G3 Blue & White (Yosemite) failed to boot up.

The symptoms:

• Mac starts up, and chimes the familiar Mac OS boot chime
• I hear the hard drive cranking away and the fans kick on
• The new Apple Studio Display registers that a signal is coming in, but nothing shows up on screen

After leaving it sit for a bit to warm up, nothing changed. Time to troubleshoot.

First thing’s first: start with one stick of RAM and see if that works. I started with the lowest memory RAM stick, and after trying to boot, got the familiar “bad RAM” beep. That one’s out! After a few more tries, I found one RAM stick that let the Mac start the bootup process.

Great! We’re in business! I let the PowerMac boot into OS 8.6, and started a Disk First Aid routine to make sure everything in the hard drive was working properly. Everything passed with flying colors.

Since the Mac booted into the OS, I figured a fresh restart would be a smart idea. But that was a mistake. The PowerMac would not boot back into the OS, even after zapping the PRAM, performing a variety of key commands on startup, and multiple restarts. Nothing.

Thanks goodness for the internet. I found a few tips online about disconnecting the motherboard to reset the power supply, performing a hard reset to the motherboard, and letting the PowerMac sit in a time out and think about what its done (okay, that one’s mine).

I tried these techniques over and over again, in a variety of steps, like conducting some ancient spell. A dash of cuda resets, a pinch of removing the PRAM battery, invoking the Command-Option-P-R incantation – I went through a week’s worth of this witchcraft, trying in vain to get that Mac OS 8 boot screen again.

Then, I started at the beginning. What were the exact steps that worked last time? Let’s try that.

Another PRAM zap, and while the Mac hangs on boot, hit the reset button again. It worked. Magic.

And here the PowerMac sits, two weeks after I took it out of storage, still humming along and plugged in – mostly because I’m nervous to shut it down again.

Up next for #MARCHintosh: Syncing up my Newton MessagePad and eMate.

Jumping back in during #Marchintosh, I needed to do some inventory and check-ins on my Mac and Newton collection. What was working, and what wasn’t? Which PRAM batteries had died, what needed a restore, and what failed to turn on?

Here’s what my collection, and their status, looks like in the first part of 2021.

PowerMac G3

My blue and white G3 Power Mac was still the hub of my collection. It served as the main connection point, a storage system for my old iMac G3 hard drive (and every app and document on that iMac), as well as the backup and sync Mac for my Newton MessagePad and eMate.

In short, it was iffy. After booting up the PowerMac and hearing that familiar Mac chime, the system would not show a screen on my new Apple Studio Display. I went through the usual checklist: swapping out the PRAM battery for a new one, checking RAM sticks to make sure none went bad, a variety of key presses during the startup phase. Nothing. No screen.

Then, after a reset of the motherboard (a tip picked up from an archived G3 manual), and with only one RAM stick (out of the four I had in the slots), magic!

I did a quick Disk First Aid routine, checked to make sure apps and documents were still there, and then – for reassurance – rebooted the PowerMac.

Then, naturally, nothing. I was back at square one. The only thing I could be sure of was the Mac did work, had everything on it still, and had now become a mini project all its own.

Newton MessagePad 110

First things first: a new set of AA batteries. I grabbed some rechargeable Amazon batteries, popped them into the Newton, and *bing* up it came. The only problem was the memory button battery had gone dead, so I was back in 1994 and the only contact in my Names was “Bob Anderson.”

But the MessagePad still worked! I knew I had a backup file somewhere around here…

iBook G3 Blueberry

Ah, my road trip Mac. I love picking up these clamshell iBooks and feeling how sturdy and tough they still are. That’s why I picked this Mac as my cross-country companion: I could drop it off the grand canyon and…well, have a mess. But you get the idea.

I remember thinking about replacing the battery years ago, but never got around to it, so plugging it in with the UFO AC adapter was my one option to boot it up. And good news – it booted into that familiar Jaguar pinstripe desktop.

Looking around at the files, photos, and music on the iBook, it held some great memories of my Route 66 and Yellowstone trips in iPhoto, blog posts in AppleWorks, and road trip soundtrack songs in iTunes 3.

Newton eMate 300

Sad news: the battery I installed in the eMate is long gone. The machine itself doesn’t even boot up, even when plugged into AC power. I have to add the much-loved eMate to my project list as well.

Macintosh LCII

This little pizza box Mac was a pickup at my old recycling gig. My friend Curtis told me all it needed was a fresh PRAM battery and it should boot right up.

The other element I needed for this Mac was a monitor, something I had now with my Apple Studio Display. A quick adapter later and I had it hooked into the VGA port, installed a new PRAM battery, and voila – it booted right up.

This LCII was a minimal Mac: it had one or two applications installed, ran System 7.0.1, and not much else. It was a blank slate, waiting for a purpose. But it worked.

And that’s the collection, minus my OG Mac, the iBook G4, but that’s sitting comfortably in retirement in the basement.

Most of the rest of the collection worked. The others would keep me busy during the rest of #Marchintosh.

After 10 years of on-and-off tinkering, I’m kicking off #Marchintosh with a fun new project: purchasing and connecting an Apple Studio Display to my blue and white PowerMac G3.

The first step? Finding a monitor! After selling off my CRT studio display, I had no way to view my PowerMac G3. I wanted something small and light, and wanted to stick with the G3-era hardware. Luckily I found an affordable display on eBay.

It arrived in great condition, fully working, and ready to connect to the desktop. However, it’s been seven or eight years since I booted up the G3. I took this as an opportunity to turn on and test all my classic Apple devices: iBook G3, MessagePad 110, eMate 300, and a Macintosh LC II.

I quickly learned I needed to install a couple of fresh PRAM batteries in the Mac motherboards, swap out dead batteries in the Newtons, and buy a few adapters to connect the VGA Apple Studio Display to the LC II.

This month, in honor of #Marchintosh, I’ll explore how my old devices are working, what needs help or fixing, and how this Apple Studio Display helps me classic Mac in style.

Apple’s release of the new Touch Bar MacBook Pro has made a lot of news. There’s good reason: it’s a signal to us longer-term fans of Macintosh computers that things are different now.

I don’t have a whole lot to add to the commentary that’s circulating, but what I do have is personal thoughts about my working relationships with Mac, sprinkled with a bit of sentimentality.

The Chime

You don’t buy a Mac because it does spreadsheets and websurfing better than any computer. You buy a Mac because you appreciate the design, enjoy using the operating system, and love the little personality quirks.

Like the start up chime.

The Mac start up chime doesn’t add anything to its usability or purpose. It doesn’t make your work stand out, or help Safari render websites faster. What it does do, however, is help you appreciate the computer on your desk, or on your lap. It’s the spark of personality that inspires people to name their computer. It’s a signal to say, “I’m going to work on this computer that I enjoy using.” It’s the orchestra warming up before the big performance.

The lack of the chime, while not the end of the world, is another example of the Mac losing its personality over time. And that makes me sad.

(I mean, the sound is so iconic it’s in a Pixar film!)

While surely it added nothing concrete to the Mac user experience, taking it away eliminates a bit of the spirit that was in the Macintosh all these years.

Ports and Dongles

I get it: introducing and picking a winning port has historical precedent, and maybe it’ll all end up just fine.

But Stephen Hackett’s point that a G3 PowerMac held on to legacy ports is apt – in fact, it’s why I keep my blue and white Yosemite around.

For “pros,” a diversity of ports is important: photographers’ needs are different than audio engineers’ needs are different than illustrators’ needs. Over time, it may be that USB-C takes over the world, but we don’t live in that world yet, and pros have to get work done today.

Now it seems Apple is in the dongle business more than the personal computer business.

Limiting Options

Only so much hard drive room. Only so much RAM. Only one kind of port. No upgradable hard drive.

You thought Steve Job was insistent about limiting your options on a Mac, Apple of late is taking his philosophy to another level.

Recent Macs’ lack of upgradability has been a real downer. I’ve owned my 2009 iMac for seven years now, and it’s lasted this long because I’ve kept up with upgrades – especially RAM. Memory needs change, and the fact that you can’t touch a lot of the parts of the make is depressing.

Want an upgrade? Buy a new Mac.

Not Meeting Eye to Eye

I feel like Apple is making a computer that works less and less like I do.

I’m a photographer, so the lack of an SD card slot stinks. The personality is leaving. The upgrade path is non-existent. Maybe the only saving grace is that Macs still run macOS, still the best operating system out there.

And it could be that I would be just fine owning one of the new MacBook Pros. It’s just that right now I’m in the market for a new iMac, and those options aren’t all that appealing either. If/when an iMac update comes, do I see things getting better or worse?

Worse. That’s what makes me nervous.

“I can easily imagine how foreign, odd or slightly mad all this effusion must appear to those on the outside, to people who have never quite understood this emotional tie to a pile of circuit boards, chips and glowing icons.”

– Patrick LaRoque, in a lovely set of photos and thoughts.

Happy birthday, Macintosh.

Andrew Kim has a lovely collection of Apple’s “white period” Macs over at his blog, Minimally Minimal:

The designs of this age were so calm, warm and pure, despite the brutally honest and analytical design. I especially love the way the clear layer interacts with the opaque white inner shell.

Agreed. And while Kim includes the G5 iMac in his Mac trio, I’d throw in the lovely harbinger (along with the eMac) iMac G4.

The current aluminum lineup of Macs makes for good design as well, but “white” says “Apple” to my mind. And I’ll always favor white Apple products: the iPhone, iPods, etc.

It’s not always a practical design choice, as Kim points out. A lot of these Macs show their age because of smudges and scratches. I think it’s worth it, to have that gleaming white machine brightening up a room.

What’s an extension? An extension conflict? The command key?

A fantastic little site called The Essential Mac has all these keywords listed and defined — great if you’re new to the classic Mac operating system.

It’s also a great primer for everything from Control Panels to those pesky extensions in pre-OS X Macintoshes. And since time on this site seemed to stop in 1997, you have a classic reference piece. The Essential Mac comes courtesy of the South Shore Mac Users Group in Long Island, NY.

(via System Folder)

Stephen Hackett at 512pixels:

In retrospect, it’s easy to see just how important the PowerBook G3s were to Apple. The machines bridged the gap between old-school and modern Macs, and each generation included significant progress in Apple’s mobile technology.

The photos are great, as is the analysis. Having never owned a PowerBook G3, I often find it hard to get the naming system just right.

[via Thomas Brand.]

Page 2 of a 1998 Italian Apple brochure introducing the iMac G3, the PowerBook G3, Mac OS 8 and related software.

Good “vintage” stuff from Riccardo Mori over at System Folder. Love the lady’s shirt.