TITLE
    Mac OS 8.5: What's New?
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		58069
9/9/98
4/18/00
TOPIC

    What are the major changes and/or improvements in Mac OS 8.5?

DISCUSSION

    IMPROVED PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY

    Faster copying over the network and to disks

    Improved copying performance now lets you copy files over a network faster than ever. Copying to hard disks and removable disks such as Zip disks and CDs is also improved.

    AppleScript improvements

    With improvements in AppleScript, scripts can run up to three to five times faster. More control panels and tasks are scriptable; for example, you can now automate networking tasks.

    You can also attach a script to a folder and launch the script by performing actions such as opening the folder or copying a file to it.

    QuickDraw improvements

    Improvements in QuickDraw graphics and text reduce the time it takes to display images on your screen and let you scroll faster.

    Disk protection

    You can now test and repair your startup disk or volume using Disk First Aid. If your computer is shut down improperly, Disk First Aid automatically checks your startup disk for problems when you restart.

    INCREASED INTERNET INTEGRATION

    Easy browsing of file servers

    The new Network Browser lets you easily find and connect to AppleShare servers on a network. You can also use the Network Browser to create a list of favorite servers and quickly connect to these servers.

    Quick Internet searches

    The Search Internet section of the Find program now lets you quickly search the Internet using your choice of search engines. Each item in your search results is ranked by relevance and includes the item's URL and a summary. You can also link to the item directly from the search results window.

    New multilingual capabilities

    You can now display multilingual content in browsers and other Internet applications. This means you can view international Web sites using either Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape NavigatorTM.

    Access to network time servers

    The Date & Time control panel now lets you connect to a network time server so that your files always bear an accurate date and time. You can also have daylight-saving time set for you automatically. To get ready for the year 2000, set the date format to show the century.

    Easy ways to manage Internet settings

    The new Internet control panel lets you enter Internet preferences, such as your e-mail address, your default news server, the address of your default home page, and your default Web browser, in one central location that can be accessed by all your Internet-based applications. It also lets you create groups of Internet settings and quickly switch between them.

    Internet location files

    You can create files that point to locations on the Internet or on local area networks. For example, you can create a file that points to a web site, an AppleShare server, or an e-mail address. When you double-click an Internet location file, your favorite networking application takes you to a location on the Internet or local network, or opens a new e-mail message.

    You create an Internet location file by dragging text that contains an Internet address (such as http://www.apple.com ) into a Finder window or onto the desktop.

    IMPROVED WINDOW NAVIGATION AND MANAGEMENT

    New appearance features

    Title bar icon Resize columns
    Proportional scroll boxes Double scroll arrows

    With new appearance features, you can

    • use icons in the title bar of a folder or volume window to move or copy the folder or volume and all its contents
    • change the width and order of columns
    • tell how much of a window's content is visible by looking at proportional scroll boxes (The more space the scroll box fills in the scroll bar, the more content is visible.)
    • scroll the contents of a window more easily using double scroll arrows · smooth the appearance of text by turning on anti-aliasing

    All the settings for customizing the look and feel of your computer's desktop are now located in the Appearance control panel. You use this control panel to set all system fonts, the background pattern or picture, and the new scrolling and anti-aliasing options. After you select your favorite settings, you can save them as a group of appearance settings.

    Standard view options

    In the Views section of the Finder Preferences window, you can specify a standard set of options for list, button, or icon views. The standard view options are automatically applied to every window, unless you've customized the window's view options.

    New icon features

    The icons of files (including applications, disks, and folders) now change appearance when you alter the files in certain ways.

    IMPROVED FILE AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

    New content searching for files

    The "Find by Content" section of the Find program now lets you search the contents of files for one or more words. Before you can search the contents of a disk's files, you must create an index of the disk. If you have modified files on a disk since it was last indexed and you want to search the modified content, you need to update the index. It can take a while to create an index, so you may want to schedule a time when you're away from your computer to automatically create and update indexes.

    New ways to switch between programs

    You can "tear off" the Application menu and display it as a small window (called the "Application Switcher"). You can display the contents of the Application Switcher window in list view or icon view. You can use the Application Switcher to easily switch between open programs.

    To display the Application Switcher drag all the way to the bottom of the Application menu, then drag beyond the menu. When an outline of a window appears, release the mouse button.

    New ways to open and save files

    Many application programs now provide Open and Save dialog boxes that give you more options when you're opening and saving documents. These dialog boxes let you
    • open several files at once by holding down the Shift key as you select the files
    • open and save documents on AppleShare servers on your network using the Shortcuts button
    • connect to unmounted AppleShare servers using the Shortcuts button
    • add the names of zones, servers, volumes, and folders that you use frequently to a list of favorite items using the Favorites button
    • choose from a list of recently opened or saved documents using the Recent button

    Easy access to favorite items

    The Favorites folder in the Apple menu gives you convenient access to the documents, applications, zones, servers, volumes, and Internet locations you use most frequently. Favorite items are also available in the Network Browser and in the new Open, Save, and Choose dialog boxes.

    The Favorites folder is marked with a red ribbon.


    Intelligent onscreen help

    Apple Help, the new onscreen help system you're using now, lets you search for and display information, connect to help sites on the Internet, and click links that automatically open files and do tasks.

    Enhanced Info windows

    Info windows for files now include pop-up menus that let you
    • adjust the amount of memory assigned to an application program or desktop printer
    • set file sharing options for an application, folder, or volume
    • see if a printer is busy and how the printer is configured
    • see which fonts are available for use with a printer

    MEDIA INTEGRATION

    QuickTime capabilities

    Apple's QuickTime technology lets you work with files in a variety of multimedia formats. QuickTime 3.0 offers the best in video, music, and voice compression technologies and lets you use your Web browser to automatically play movies at the highest quality setting possible for your computer and your Internet connection.

    QuickTime VR lets you work with "virtual reality" movies. You can rotate objects, zoom in or out, look in any direction, and navigate from one scene to another. QuickDraw 3D allows you to manipulate three-dimensional graphics.

    Built-in document translation

    You can open most files on your computer by double-clicking their icons. When you try to open a document that was created in an application you don't have, your computer automatically identifies the file type of the document and tries to open it in an application you do have. Your computer also recognizes the most common types of DOS and Windows files and uses preassigned applications to open the files.

    You can change the assigned applications or add new ones using the File Exchange control panel.

    Better color matching

    ColorSync is a color management system that ensures the colors you see on your monitor closely match the colors you print or scan. In Mac OS 8.5, you use the Monitor Calibration Assistant in the Monitors & Sound control panel to adjust your system for accurate color reproduction.

    Text-to-speech capabilities

    You can have your computer speak the alert messages that appear on the screen. You set your computer to speak alert messages using the Talking Alerts section of the Speech control panel by checking the "Speak the alert text" checkbox. Mac OS 8.5 by default has Speak the Alert Text set to on. In some application programs that support this feature, your computer can also read text contained in documents aloud.


Document Information
Product Area: Mac OS System Software
Category: Mac OS 8.5
Sub Category: General OS Topics

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