Could 13, 1991: Apple releases System 7, the most important improve to the Mac working system because the authentic Mac shipped in 1984. The brand new Mac OS is whip-fast, stunning to take a look at, and boasts a bevy of modern options.
The longest-lasting of Apple’s basic Mac working techniques, it can stay present till System 8 replaces it in 1997.
System 7: New options for Mac OS
One large new System 7 characteristic was true full-time multitasking, letting a number of purposes run on the similar time on the Mac. This meant that, for the primary time, you would perform background processing. The brand new OS allowed Mac customers to carry out a processing-heavy job in a single app whereas utilizing one other. Which will sound (and is!) regular right now, but it surely was a revolution in 1991.
As well as, Mac customers gained entry to “aliases,” an concept later copied by Microsoft’s Home windows 95 as desktop “shortcuts.” This made it simpler to entry particular person information with out having to trace down the supply utility.
The brand new Mac OS additionally introduced a giant enchancment by way of file sharing. When you had an AppleTalk community, System 7 made it simple to maneuver information and folders between techniques with a easy peer-to-peer LAN.
System 7 even made it potential to collaborate on initiatives with a “Publish” and “Subscribe” characteristic. This meant that adjustments made to a file on one particular person’s machine mechanically transferred to each different linked doc. Assume Google Docs is spectacular? Mac OS 7 was doing one thing comparable a quarter-century earlier!
Mac OS 7 brings large visible enhancements
Visually, Mac OS 7 proved leaps and bounds higher than its predecessor. TrueType fonts now not suffered from their beforehand jagged look. System 7 additionally made the Mac desktop extra customizable. The OS supported varied colour choices, with a extra streamlined look total. (A brand new “Balloon Assist” characteristic got here to assistance from Mac newbies.)
Though it shipped with few packaged packages, System 7 shortly ushered in a spread of multimedia purposes. Later in 1991, QuickTime landed on the Mac, letting customers run and manipulate video on their computer systems.
System 7 got here preinstalled on new Macs. For upgrading customers, a Private Improve Equipment value $99 and got here with 90 days of free technical assist. A bunch improve for networks ran $349.
The working system continued till 1997, when Apple co-founder Steve Jobs lastly returned to the corporate. The final System 7 replace got here with April 1997’s Mac OS 7.6.1. Apple then changed it with System 8, in a considerably sneaky transfer that ended the period of Mac clones.
Relive the glory with this System 7 emulator
Feeling nostalgic for Mac OS 7? Try this System 7 emulator that runs inside your browser window.
What are your reminiscences of utilizing System 7? Had been you a Mac fan on the time? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
