User manual

AppleSauce
November 2003
21
Contents
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Key software
Matching System and system
Which Mac System version should you be
running?
Frank Wade
Computers are doubling in speed and dropping in price
about every six months. This and the size and complex-
ity of modern programs may mean that you need to
upgrade to remain productive. One answer is to buy the
latest and greatest Mac, which will ship with the latest
System (now called Mac OS), whilst another is to buy a
processor upgrade card, which effectively puts a new
faster ‘engine’ in your existing computer. However, both
of these options are fairly expensive. One alternative is
to ensure that you are getting the maximum out of your
existing machine by running the newest version of the
Operating System (OS) suitable for your Mac.
Apple is currently releasing major System updates for
sale about every 12 months, interspersed with minor
releases, which are often freely available for download
over the ’Net or on various give-away or inexpensive CD-
ROMs. Each major upgrade normally improves produc-
tivity, adds new functions and makes many tasks easier
and quicker. The intermediate releases are mainly bug
fixes with few minor improvements.
Cost is only one factor in considering an upgrade to the
OS. Other factors include how much free hard disk space
your Mac has, whether you have sufficient Random
Access Memory (RAM) and whether your particular Mac
supports the upgrade.
Replacing a small hard disk with a larger one can be
fairly expensive, but there are various other ways to
store data away from the main hard disk and thus
release space for a larger System. This also makes good
sense for security and backups. Floppy disks are really
only useful if you have an older Mac with a floppy drive