©8-3-01 David Schultz

[Get your very own "Classic Countdown Worksheet" like the one below (but better looking!) in PDF format. Click here ("upgrades.pdf). Note: 497k download.]

Things are moving along on the OS X front. I am happy about that, no doubt. I love OS X.

But as you know from the first installment of this series the sheer cost of upgrading everything I need to use OS X full-time is getting downright prohibitive very quickly for me — and I am just an average Mac user (honest, I am!). That's right, us average Mac users are going to be handing over a pound of flesh for the privilege of using OS X. The problem is that it's like an addiction — you don't really know what's happening until you're hooked. What happened? You weren't paying attention (or maybe you were if your intent was to become addicted in the first place).

So, in an effort to make myself pay attention I started this series on the cost of making the OS X switch. What I did not realize when I started was just how quickly the cost was going to add up! I mean we are not far along in the upgrade process and I am already in deep. OS X 10.1 is a few months away and many high-end products still are not ported to Carbon let alone Cocoa. And last time we looked (for my own needs anyway) the cost was $367 (and that was just two months ago). And please note: These are upgrade costs — upgrade costs! I am not buying new apps here. So my experience represents one of the cheaper upgrade tracks someone can take.

What was this $376 dollars for? Well, would you believe only three programs, one of which I don't even have yet? Freehand 10, Drive 10, and FileMaker Pro 5.5 (see below) were the only programs available at that time. Freehand 10 will be reviewed here soon. Suffice it say right now that Macromedia is serious about OS X and we love Freehand 10. FileMaker is another story. It seems a bit incomplete, such as having no toolbar though it has a "Show Toolbar" option. It seems rushed to me. Drive 10? Announced but I don't have it yet. I do applaud Micromat for charging only $69 for it though.

But two months after the first article the upgrade path is picking up steam and my checking account is getting smaller (what was that minimum amount I have to keep in checking to ward off monthly charges again?). The simple fact is, I bet, that by the time I buy all I need to make the complete X switch and be Classic-free I could also buy a nice, new iBook! It will easily cost the average or addicted Mac user the cost of a new iBook or iMac to make the X switch. Yeah, I'd like an iBook. But I have too much to buy making the X switch first. Apple hardware sales down? I wonder why?

What I am beginning to see is that what counts as a "necessary" application for me might change in this upgrade path. It is simply becoming too expensive and some things might have to go, or I will turn to shareware/freeware options for some other products. I don't know yet. Also, I am finding that I must pick-and-choose my upgrades carefully as I go along. That means that "necessary app" means "necessary right now." In order to make this switch as easy as possible, financially, in other words, some upgrades will have to be postponed. Which will be postponed will be determined as I go along.

At any rate, enough complainin'. Let's get down to business — current cost. Are you ready for this? Last time it was $367. Okay ... don't say I didn't warn you:

Why the jump in cost? Follow me...

OS X 10.1 = $20

There was the little surprise from Apple itself that upgrading to 10.1 for free will cost me $20 (postage and handling). Okay, I'll pay it; after all, if the foundation is weak the whole will crumble. So 10.1 for $20 it is. It looked mighty impressive in the demo at MWNY and I hope that performance translates to my machine.

Snapz Pro for OS X = $39

Next on the list was SnapzPro. We use this for screenshots and such at the site and in other work we do. It was just announced, now called "Snapz Pro X 1.0.0." The upgrade cost can take two routes. First, if you want the ability to make movies it'll cost ya $39, but if you want the basic app it'll cost ya $19. So what do I do? (Note: The cost new is $29 and $49). Well, personally, I am going to wait to see what ScreenCatcher does before making any move on this one. But I will include it in the cost of the upgrade for those of you who just can't wait, though. We MAY review this too, later.

MacLinkPlus for OS X = $39

Next on the list is DataViz's "MacLinkPlus" for OS X. Upgrade cost is $39 ($79 new). With all the kinds of files and documents I work with from witers and school, I need this app. But I want to say something right now — DataViz is one of my favorite companies. Period. I said last time, in installment one of this series, that the way DataViz upgrades it won't take long for them to come out with an OS X version. I was right. Their products are always high-quality (like "DocumentsToGo" for my Palm), and the people I have worked with at the company have always been very kind to me. This is one company I will be more than happy to give $40 to for upgrading their app. (I do not say this often, please tale note.) We have a review in the works, so look for it soon.

Farallon Products = $179

Next on the list: My LaserWriter Select 360. LocalTalk isn't supported in OS X. What is a poor guy to do? My trusty 360 has been working hard for about seven years now and it shows no sign of slowing down. This is one great postscript printer, and the only beige Mac product left in my study (other than an SE/30 sitting on a bookcase — just for show). When I wrote about this in the first installment many people emailed me about Farallon's iPrint LT — an Ethernet-Localtalk bridge. Now mind you I am seriously ignorant of anything having to do with networks. I was scared to even try to connect up the iPrint adapter. Okay, I am a chicken. But everyone said Farallon makes great products. So I did it. Let me say that I am happy I did. It is a piece of cake to get that LocalTalk printer going in OS X. Farallon has become another one of my favorite companies because of the experience.

I have a cable modem so I needed a hub, too. I connect the cable modem line into the hub, along with the iPrint cable from the printer, and then connect the hub to the G4. But these are all details. The point is that to use the iPrint adapter (cost $83), I needed a hub, so also got a Starlet 4-port Farallon ethernet hub (cost $29), and I needed an extra ethernet cable (cost $10). But to use the iPrint you also need to order the Farallon PhoneNET adapter which actually makes the LocalTalk connection from the printer. Cost is $54. So the total cost to keep my precious LaserWriter 360 pumping out my keyboard bangings in Os X is: $176.

Let me say though, again, it was totally worth the $179. Farallon does indeed produce idiot-proof products, making networking available to the masses; their tech people are great and I have no complaints. Let's see if I can get another seven years out of this LaserWriter Select 360.

So, to the $367.99 total from last time we add $277, and this includes the upgrade to Snapz Pro X, about which I have yet to make a final decision, and the OS X 10.1 SH cost. That gives me a grand total of $644.99 to date for switching to OS X, that is, for getting my system up to par and as a useful as possible with all necessary apps installed, in other words, to be Classic free.

Note that, as the cost increases (and it is going to get worse very quickly), my whole notion of what is a "necessary" app and what is non-necessary might change. If the cost gets too high too quickly the simple fact is that some things are going to have to go, or at least be put on hold, while I wait for cheaper solutions or more money. We'll see. "Hey, buddy, can ya spare a dime?"

So below is the updated Classic Countdown table. Be sure to go to our forums where you can tell us your own costs for upgrading to OS X. And be sure to get your own Classic Countdown PDF form and tell us how much it will cost you.

If you see something on the chart below that has been upgraded or announced which I haven't included, please let me know by sending me an email. alsom if you know of cheaper (and legal) solutions do please tell us in our forums or in an email.

David Schultz