[G4] Should my Dad go to Jaguar?

[Tracker at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/6/03 4:39:02 PM, earthpigz at earthlink.net writes:

<< He has no need for Jaguar EXCEPT for the following issue: his scanner 
drivers
don't and won't have an OSX upgrade and Jaguar does have the drivers 
included. >> 

Jaguar is OS-X, just an advanced version, look at the label on the CD to see 
which version of the OS you are holding. Either the scanner drivers are 
available for OS-X or they are not, which is it? Or, do you mean they are not 
available from the scanner company web site?

<< Right now the scanning involves Classic and there have been Classic issues 
such as having to install it twice, indicate it in the Chooser, etc., all 9 
topics he is totally unfamiliar with. >>

Except for the having to do a second installation, everything you say here is 
normal and Mac users should have had practice and experience in doing just 
those procedures. I suggest that you buy him a book on how to use the 
Macintosh and give him some hands-on lessons so it won't be that unfamiliar 
and hard to use.

<< Any thoughts? I'd like to get him out of the 9 world entirely if I can. >>

Does HE really want to leave the OS-9 world? Why are you trying to force him 
into something that he may not want or need? If you can't justify the cost of 
upgrading the OS AND ALL THE REST OF HIS SOFTWARE TO BE OS-X COMPATIBLE, then 
just leave him alone and let him be comfortable with what he already has.

I fail to understand why people want to upgrade if it isn't necessary for 
what you use your computer for. Now then, if the entire industry were to 
convert over-night to OS-X and not provide back compatible support, I would 
agree with the upgrade and probably even lead the parade to do so.

Of course, there might be some information here that I haven't read. Like, 
maybe you are more interested in using his computer for your own needs/wants? 
If that's the case, try to get him to buy you a new MDD G4 and you can leave 
the old machine for him to play at.

Don't take this completely negatively. I have five Macs and have installed 
OS-X on two of them for experimenting with until I get enough money to afford 
converting more to it myself. I just don't have over $4,000 laying around 
with no destination or need right now. I calculate that it would cost me at 
least that much to convert completely to OS-X and I would lose some of my 
favorite programs because they aren't and will never be offered for OS-X.

Some of my best program software is still in the OS 7 and 8 genre but it will 
work in OS-9, which saves my bottom frequently when I need to print a series 
of articles or mailing labels, and those programs are now considered to be 
obsolete. With an upgrade to OS-X, I have to find a program that will give me 
all the capabilities that the old ones have and work in the new OS. That will 
be almost impossible for some of the stuff I need, and then when I do find 
the new programs, I have to spend time learning their tricks and faults.

I guess that it all boils down to "If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it".