[G4] Problem with spreadsheets in Classic mode

[Alex Hurst]

Tony wrote:

>At risk of sounding a bit rude, anything that depends on a floppy drive is
>so old that you might consider that you have gotten your moneys worth out of
>it many times over, and perhaps it is time to upgrade to a more recent
>version that is made for a modern operating system.
>
>The problem with older programs is that each OS upgrade incrementally makes
>more and more changes away from that which a particular program is made for.
>When you install a program the backwards compatibility is stated, but since
>the future is unknowable a future OS compatibility is not stated. However
>eventually there will be a limit. You may well have reached that point
>despite 'classic'.


FWIW I still use a lot of Classic programs on my G4 (OS 9.2.2/OS X 
10.3.9) and have yet to find a major one which doesn't work. That 
includes Excel, a 14 year old accounting program, and more 
importantly, Photoshop 5. In that respect I think Apple have done a 
pretty reasonable job on backward compatibility, tho' this won't be 
the case with the new Intel machines which won't run Classic at all.

So sorry, I can't help with the Excel problem. Mine (in Office 2001) 
works fine.

>
>As someone who came along after the introduction of OS X I have never really
>understood the holding on to OS 9 programs that occurs. So far as I can tell
>OS 9 is a limited and unpleasant to use system better avoided where
>possible. Still familiarity is important, and I can understand that sadness
>that comes when for instance an old pair of shoes has to be thrown out.
>
>It usually takes a little while, but usually you reach a point where you
>wondered why it took so long to make the change.

I take the point, but I've never changed simply for change's sake. 
Apart from anything else I have two OS 9 Macs hooked up via Ethernet 
to the OS X G4 (a Pismo Powerbook G3 and a beige G3, both of which 
work fine, and will print over a shared USB network).

The reason for retaining the old beige Mac is simply that I have a 
lot of good SCSI hardware hooked up to it (two scanners and a disk 
burner) which I'm loath to junk simply because the G4 doesn't support 
it. As exchanging files between networked Macs is a breeze, I might 
as well go with what I've got.

BTW I certainly wouldn't categorise OS 9 as 'unpleasant'. A bit 
clunky maybe compared with OS X, but I've been using Macs since 
Multifinder was a big innovation!

Best

Alex


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