Future for the past (web, 32bits OS and hardware)

New Old WebBrowsers  (almost year 2021)

Do not throw away you old hardware so quickly!
If your computer is still working, you can keep it working for many tasks.

Even you can use a common menu to ease the launch of these browsers with a shared profile (the one you use in your updated computer) see Menu_Launcher4multiple_FF

In this list I will not include the official Moonchild's browsers as Palemoon as they are not compatible with WindowsXP and Basilisk soon will have only 64bits version.

Centaury v0.13 (202010)

(Compatible with:WinXP - ReactOS )
Unofficial fork of Basilisk (with UXP technology) and compatible with Mozilla Firefox 52.9
Also for a short time received the name Serpent

Mypal v28.15

(Compatible with: WinXP - ReactOS)
Unofficial fork of Palemoon (with UXP technology) and compatible with Mozilla Firefox 28
Also for a short time received the name  Oldrac and Newmoon

Serpent by roytam1

Serpent by roytam1

(Compatible with:WinXP 32 or 64 )
Unofficial fork of Basilisk (with UXP technology) and compatible with Mozilla Firefox 52.9
Version win32_20181124 has Firefox sync function
Available at msfn.org or rtfreesoft.blogspot.com
Versions 32bits, 64bits and IA32 Win32

NM28XP by roytam1 (New Moon28 for XP)

(Compatible with:WinXP 32 or 64 )
Unofficial fork of Palemoon (with UXP technology) and compatible with Mozilla Firefox 28
Time ago called PM28XP
Available at msfn.org or rtfreesoft.blogspot.com

NM27XP by roytam1 (New Moon27 for XP)

(Compatible with:WinXP 32 or 64 )
Unofficial fork of Palemoon 27 and compatible with Mozilla Firefox 27
Available at msfn.org

K-meleon/KM-Goanna by roytam1

K-meleon74-Goanna2.2. Compatible Windows2000, WinXP, [Win98+KernelEx]
K-meleon76-Goanna3.4. Compatible WinXP, Windows2000 (CPU: SSE instructions??)
http://kmeleonbrowser.org  or rtfreesoft.blogspot.com

tenfourfox vFPR9

(Compatible with: Mac PowerPC G3 and G4, and MacOSX 10.4 and 10.5)

Based in Mozilla Firefox, and compatible FF v45+updates from  Firefox ESR 60)

Menu_Launcher4multiple_FF

(Windows CMD Batch Menu)
Requires to configure paths in the batch code

Sharing /Peer to peer

Shareaza 2.7

(Compatible Winxp)
Emule/Edonkey, Torrent, GNUtella,..  ALL IN ONE

 

Flowcharts, Mind maps, UML (Soft)

conceptDraw! flowchart

DIAGRAMS

Concept Draw Pro(Win, MacOS)
A good alternative to Ms Visio, advantages over Visio are
multiplatform and portable version for Windows.
Flowcharts, UML, Mockup resources, OS interface components, etc..
Import:Visio XML, Powerpoint
Export: CDD, CDX(xml from conceptdraw), Visio XML, SVG, SWF
MacOs version available for PPC and Intel CPU
Version 9.2.5 included in ConceptDraw Office 2

Conceptdraw 9.2.5, mockup

Omnigraffle (MacOS)
Nice and easy diagramming software

Available for PPC and Intel CPU

Visio (Win)
A well know software but only available for Windows.


LibreOffice Draw (multiplatform)

LibreOffice Draw

It has a big name after it, is opensource and is portable. However,  in terms of usability and features is quite bad.

Import: SXD, STF,CDR,PUB,SVG,SVGZ, VDX,VSD, VSDM, VSDX
Export:ODG(ODF Drawing), FODG(Flat XML ODF Drawing)

MINDMAPS

-Freemind (Java multiplatform)(GPL)(abandoned but forked by freeplane)
Tested versions: 0.8, 1.0.1
Very stable and working correctly in MacOS.

-FreePlane (multiplatform)(GPL)

freeplan screenshot

Tested versions: 1.2.42b, 1.2.1, 1.3.12
(Win install/portable, Mac, Linux,..)
Export to: html, graphics,...
Fork of Freemind, and compatible with it. Many options but not a very clear interface

Note, a new node cannot be inserted from right button or toolbar but from
"Insert" key, or Edit, New node, New child node

Interesting features:
Outline view: View, View settings, Outline view



-X-Mind (Portable version, multiplatform, opensource?) 

at least version 3.5  is still available as opensource. 

However, Pro features as export requires a license.
Win, MacOS....

-edDraw MindMaster (commercial,freeware)

Import from most formats(freeMind,XMind,Mindmanager,EDraw...), export to many formats (HTML,PDF, MindManager,SVG...)

 

Pro features require license or watermark will be included.

-MindManager (commercial,trial)

Import from most formats(freeMind,XMind...), export to few formats (HTML(app),Word)

After 30 days Pro features require a license.

-VUE

Links:
http://www.mind-mapping.org/



UML

UML Violet
Very easy Java app which implements the following diagrams

• use-case diagram
• class diagram

• 

  Violet(Java) screenshot

  activity diagram
• sequence diagram
• state diagram
• object diagram
  
  
  
  

Linux in your old Ibook PPC

After use many times Ubuntu as Live CD or running Linux apps with Fink and MacPorts. I decided to have Linux and MacOS X installed in the Harddrive.

Therefore I don't want to do a clean installation, I have to resize my partitions to free space for Linux partition/s.

I will install a quiet recent Ubuntu 10.4PPC from CD.

1- Resize and move HFS partition with "ipartition" from a MacOS Live CD.

note1:
You must have the free space at the begin instead of the end of the HD,
if you have the free space at the end of HD, Linux will not see correctly your partition table

note2:
Power users also can do this task from a Linux CD using the application "parted" from command line because the graphical Gparted can't.
The command should as:
>parted /dev/hdX resize (partition number) (start location) (end location)
*1

2-Boot from Ubuntu CD
Press "C" key on the Apple boot
Write "live" to load Ubuntu in RAM







*1:
These lines can be important, dependin:
turn off journaling on Mac partition?
cd /Volumes/
ls
sudo diskutil enableJournal Macintosh\ HD/
sudo diskutil disableJournal Macintosh\ HD/
?

*2:




Comments:
-Ubuntu 10.10PPC is available and above procedure is useful for this version as well.

Interesting webs about Linux on Mac:

http://www.mintppc.org/
http://mac.linux.be/content/apple-powerpc-wiki
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/PowerPC
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ports/releases/10.04/release/

Back to the past: Panther or 10.3.9

After many years using Tiger, the destiny have forced me to go back to the past and to use Panther for some days, while I take more memory for this laptop.

Find useful and lightweight apps isn't a easy task, since this OS is abandoned for the most of users and isn't supported by Apple; moreover my RAM memory is the minimum (256MB)

Multimedia:
Cog 0.05
VLC 0.8.6i
CocoviewX 0.95

Internet:
aMSN 0.983 (March.2010)
Opera 9.64
Firefox 2.0.0.20
Skype 2.6
Skype 2.8.0
Ms. Messenger 6.03


Adium 1.0.6 (MSN protocol isn't working)

Utilities:
Acrobat Reader 7.1.0
KeepassX 0.3.3
UnrarX 2.2

Some Commercial apps working.
Photoshop 6
Appleworks 6

Project Management Software

At the moment Microsoft Project is covering big portion of the total of users of PM programs, but one of the common lacks of Microsoft is to forget about architectures or operative systems different than Windows.


--PalmOS--
*Natara Project@Hand 2



Can import/export to Ms Project only if you install a software in your windows desktop and sync, the palm device. On the other hand you can use as stand alone app.


--MacOSX--
*OpenProj 1.4



Works stable and include the basic features, translated to some languages, many data fields, few customizable, interface could be better, Net plan view is a crap, and


Save as: .pod(default), Project2003 XML, Project .mpp, .mpx
Open XML, Ms.Project, Gnome Planner
Doesn't support project 2010 files
(Opensource and Multi-platform)


!! Notes on MacOS:
-Some features requires right button click therefore you have to use a normal mouse or press apple+alt+click instead of standard ctrl-mousebutton
-Change Date format (mm/dd/yyyy) to (dd/mm/yyyy)
edit /Applications/OpenProj.app/Contents/Info.plist
-Xms128m -Xmx768m -Duser.region=GB
-Change Interface language, add "-Duser.language=en" inside the tag
-If you are creating a new relation of dependency and you have an error, check your task and if your task has a successor then remove this relation, define predecessor dependency, and now you can create the removed relation again.





*Merlin 2.7.7
Nice and usable interface, good Net plan view, many data fields.

Open Project files (.mpp, .mpx), Project XML
Many option to save/export, merlin2, project, CSV, FreeMind, Image, OmniOutliner, HTML,iCal
Commercial

!! Notes:
Be careful if you import Ms project files, and check/ask about some correct dates because Merlin use some data fields in differente way than Ms. Project and the dates could change.


*OmniPlan 1.7
Basic project management software with few data fields.
Open Ms.Project files XML and mpp (fails opening .xml files saved with Merlin or Openproj)
Many option to export, project .mpx .XML, CSV, Image, OmniGraffle, OmniOutliner, HTML,iCal
Commercial

!! Notes:
This software doesn't have a PERT or Net view, fails to open some files, and sometimes when you export. Maybe in a future could be an alternative to Merlin but not now.


--Windows--
*Openworkbench 1.1.6
Powerful software, specially for PM power user, customizable views including many data fields, best alternative to Ms. Project.

Used for a long time, works stable moreover can be used as a standalone app or to connect to CA Clarity PPM Servers.
Only for Windows(requires Java)

!!Note: For Ms. project users, the planification is done using the effort (hours) of resource assigned to task.

*Ms. Project 2007
The most popular PM software, you must configure the view to show baseline bars in the Gantt, could be easier like in the alternatives.

Save as: Project .mpp, .xls, .csv, xml
Open XML, Ms.Project *

*Like is common in Microsoft, lacks of compatibility with other formats


*ConceptDraw PROJECT
Default format: cdpz(conceptdraw project), cdpx (xml)

Save as: Ms Project XML, mmap(MindManager)
Open: Ms Project( xml, mpp, mpt, mpx), mmap(MindManager)
Multiplatform. Mac, Windows
version 6.3.0 included in ConceptDraw Office 2

conceptProject gantt screenshot

 

Fix an Apple Ibook laptop

Open a apple laptop is harder than open a PC laptop. For the 1st time is important to check the assembling/disassembling procedures:


http://www.sterpin.net/uk/ddibookg4uk.htm

http://repair4laptop.org/disassembly_apple.html

Info about boot fromUSB

Change Harddrive

The harddrive have 4 black screws in the sides to adjust, you must remove from old hd and put in the new, (screwdriver is torx).

Partitioning.

Moreover the included utilities you can use:
*Disk Utility. included, use from a cd/dvd you can select a scheme of 2 or 3 partition in a easiest way, (only HFS format).
*DiskStudio 1.6. same options than DiskUtility (only HFS format)
*Drive Genius 2. repartition, clone and other functions.
*iPartition. repartition, create partition in many formats.

Clone HD
There are some apps for clone to HD or Image file
*Carbon Copy Cloner aka CCC(backup to bootable image file, too slow to clone from usb to ide)
*Clone X (only clone to hd or bootable DVD/CD, faster than CCC)
*CopyCatx (only clone)
*SuperDuper! (Clone to image file)






Fix Screen wires
A common fail in Ibooks is on the the screen wires,one or more wires can be broken.

Software utilities
There is a utility dvd in Internet called "Bootable Ultimate Image 1.2" full of system apps. (Be careful with license and copyright)


Openfirmware as apple BIOS
How to access: press the key combination of "Command"(apple key) + "Option" (alt printed in key) + "O" + "F"

COMMANDS

devalias (shows defined alias)
dev / (move to the tree, /=root)
ls (shows the current branch of the tree)
pwd (show the current path in devices tree)
.properties (show data from the current device in the tree)



Default boot device on Apple Ibook is "hd:,\\:tbxi"
The command ¨boot¨ without arguments will use the default device and the arguments can be such as:
[device]:[partition],[path][filename]

Example of devices(using alias and not)
usb0/disk
ide0/disk
scsi-int/sd@0
hd(alias)
cd(alias)
pci@f4000000/ata-6@d/disk

hd is a alias to pci@f4000000/ata-6@d/disk

VARIABLES
setenv: environment variables
printenv: variables
Interesting variables:
output-device (name of output device for OF console)

mac-classic open-firmware-basics

openfirmware in a comprehensive language

Introduction and commands
Apple Technical Notes 1061, 1062, 1044: Fundamentals of OpenFirmware

A Repair manual
Step-by-step Guides to repair a Ibook
Many links about repair
Forum

Mobile connectivity

or when you can't connect to Internet using wireless,adsl or cable


Modem connected by USB cable:

Palm Centro(GPRS modem)
+USBmodem software(installed in Centro)
+Mobile Stream GSM (copy the script included in USBmodem packet in the MacOSx folder: /Library/Modem Scripts/)


Configuring MacOS X

Network, Config "Config Network port"
choose "Centro USB Modem"
if you can't select it, remove the item, unplug and plug the Centro, and Mac should recognize again.

phone number: *99***1#
user: orange
password:orange
GPRS/EDGE APN: internet

Simyo

GPRS/EDGE APN: gprs-service.com

Tmobile

user: user
password:wap

(in theory this phone number is common to all GSM providers)
(in )



Nokia (3G -GPRS modem)
only over bluetooth connection or using 'launch2net'?

Fix MacOS X

MacOS like Windows isn't a free fail OS, moreover there is less information than in Windows/Linux worlds; therefore knowledge/links about repairing Mac OS is recommendable:



Problems updating Safari, sometimes after update Safari you can't execute Safari, iTunes, Java apps, etc, this isn't a new issue however Apple hasn't managed the problem.

Technically the problem is in framework libraries (Webkit.framework and JavaScriptCore.framework) files stored in "System/Library/Framework" folder.



How to prevent/Recommendation:
Don't update Safari if you have a Tiger OS, you can use firefox or if you need this browser in the latest versions, you should try with:

Webkit browser (same engine than safari)
http://nightly.webkit.org

Safari standalone or multiple version
http://michelf.com/projects/multi-safari/

When prevention is too late/Solution:

If you have the problem, you must solve it, you must use Pacifist tool to extract the framework files from a correct source, for example:
-Tiger 10.4.11 (PPC) Combo Update

Drag and drop from pacifist folder to finder

/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaScriptCore.framework
/System/Library/Frameworks/WebKit.framework
/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/JavaScriptGlue.framework



Checking:

Aplicaciones/Utilidades/Consola
registro: Library/Logs
Safari.crash.log




Command: Safari
Path: /Applications/Safari.app/Contents/MacOS/Safari
Parent: WindowServer [67]

Version: 4.0.5 (4531.22.7)

PID: 216
Thread: Unknown

Link (dyld) error:

Symbol not found: __ZNK3KJS6JSCell9getUInt32ERj
Referenced from: /System/Library/Frameworks/WebKit.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/WebCore.framework/Versions/A/WebCore




Info source:
http://lifein0and1.com/2008/09/09/howto-fix-apples-webkit-and-javascriptcore-framework-error/

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1470992&tstart=120

The best of Software for MacOS Tiger(10.4 PPC Ibook

"...Caminante, no hay camino, se hace camino al andar..."





Why not a upgrade to Leopard, Snow Leopard or Linux?
Hardare with more than 5 years can't run the newer MacOS X, on other hand Linux can be a good movement to have a supported platform for more time (I will write about it in a future).

Why not to upgrade your hardware?
I think the power of PPC hardware is enough to do all the tasks me or you can need to do. On the other hand to change your hardware too often is not compatible with the sustainable development and the environment, you can choose if you are part of the problem or the solution..

Why to do a list the software and version?
In these moments too many programs are moving the requirements to Mac OS 10.5 or Intel platform therefore I think to know which is the last version you could be interesting.

What about G3 PPC CPU and MacOSX 10.3 aka Panther?
Some of the apps listed here are not compatible with Panther, few developers still supporting this OS, but I'm sure there are many people using them for all tasks like I'm still using my Tiger OS.
Maybe the best choice is to install a linux, and alternate the use of mac or linux depending of tasks.

How long could we resist using this hardware for all the tasks?
Depending of the type of the apps you are using you could be using for many years taking care in search the proper versions.


For personal preference i will list more free as freedom apps than free as beer or commercial ones.



Hardware:
G4 800 Mhz (ppc7450)
RAM 768MB

Operative system:
10.4.11


Software (PPC):

Internet:
-TenFourFox  31.2 (A light weight firefox port for ppc)
           http://sourceforge.net/projects/tenfourfox/files/
-TenFourFox 17.0.1 (A light weight firefox port for ppc)
-Opera 10.63 (eating less memory than Firefox/Safari/Webkit flavours)
-Shiira 2.3
-Shiira 1.2.2 (lightweight and based on WebKit code, still eating a lot of RAM)
-Firefox 3.6.12 (the big bother Mozilla still supporting our Tiger OS ;)
-Sunrise 1.8.5 (lightweight)
-Omniweb 5.10.1 (fat webclient)
-Icab 4.7.0 (Shareware)
-Safari 4.1.3 (be careful updating safari, you must have a clean and updated OS, and sometimes there are problems *)
-Camino 2.0

Alternatives to a updated Safari:
-WebKit Nightly Builds - trunk/81558
   WebKit-533.21.1-Tiger.dmg
-Safari 3.0.4 for Tiger (standalone version from Multi-Safari)


-Adium 1.3.10
-Amule 2.2.5
-Vuze 4.3 (Torrent client)
-Skype 2.8.0 (not working since Microsoft broke compatibility)
-Spotify 0.3.23


Multimedia:
-XBMC. Version working (ppc-9.04.1-repack.dmg) A heavy weight in media players, free and cross-platform ;) . Has a good support for karaoke and minilyrics
-QuickTime 7.6.4+Perian. With codecs can be even a faster alternative to VLC
-Perian 1.2.3(must have for quicktime, include codecs)
-niceplayer 0.96.2 (581)
-VLC 0.9.10. Latest version compiled for Tiger, what to say about one of the best video player, free and multi plataform...
-Cog 0.0.7 (lightweight media player)
-Vox 0.2.6 (lightweight media player)
-itunes 9.2.1
-SWF&FLV 3.8.20(Best way to watch or download flash videos like youtube, Commercial)
-Miro 2.5.4 (Other heavy weight Multimedia center, very complete even includes a torrent client)
-Songbird 0.7.0 PPC (with firefox code, hundreds of plugins, free and multi plataform, an itunes, ms media player killer, I read anyone compiled a v1 for PPC however it is not available for download)
--Add-ons:
--- lyrics plugin
--- lyric Master

Image viewer:
-Cocoview X v0.9.6
-Xee v2.0
-Gimp v2.6.6 (the powerful gimp)



Emulation/Virtualization:
-Virtual PC + Windows 2000
-Q kju 0.9.0 (098) Qemu for MacOX (Open images from Qemu and VPC7)
-Guest PC



-X11 1.1.3 (Xfree86 4.4.0
-Fink 0.8.1 (execute Linux apps on MacOS)
-Fink Commander 0.5.5 (GUI for Fink)
---Siag 3.6.0
---Gnumeric 1.4.1

-Macports 1.9.1 (Last version for Tiger, requires Xcode 2.5)
-XCode 2.5 (from Apple developer center)
-Porticus (GUI for Macports)
--Pidgin 2.7.6

Office/Productivity:
-OmniGraffle 4.2.3 (Flowcharts - shareware)
-Conceptdraw 8.0.7.3 (Flowcharts, many templates and standard symbols - Commercial)
-Iwork09 (Apple Office suite)
-NeoOffice 3.0.2 (Nice port of OpenOffice)
-OpenOffice 3.2.1 (The big alternative to Ms Office)
-Sundbird 0.9 (Multiplatform Mozilla calendar)
-OpenProj 1.4 (Multiplatform Java Project Management app)
-Merlin 2.6.3 (nice Project Management app, commercial)
-Abiword 2.3.6 (Light and powerful wordprocesor)
-Dict OS X v1.0 (Free Dict compatible with freedict.org dictionaries)
dictionaries to /Library/Application support/Dict OS X


Remote control
-Ms. Remote Desktop v.201
-VNCThing v.2.2
-Chicken of the VNC v.20b2
-Real VNC Viewer E454
-JollyFastVNC 1.12
-NO-IP DUC 3.15 (Dynamic Ip)

Utilities/System:
-iPaste 1.1.3 (multiple clipboard manager)
-GrandPerspective 1.1.0 (Folder size by images
-KeePassX 0.4.1
-KisMac 0.2.99 (a swiss knife for wireless)
-Keka 0.1.2.1(compress files manager, BUT it  fails with .app files)
-Unrarx 2.2
-Vuescan 8.4.13(offer support for non supported scanners)
-iPartition 2.2.0 (Partition and repartition)

Others:



MacOS ToolBox

-Bootable Utilities Image 2.2.0 (Apps to fix your computer, current versions are only intel compatible)
-Burn 2.41 (A Free CD-DVD burner)

-SuperDuper! 2.6.2 (Harddrive util, clone)
-Clone X3 3.3.0 (Harddrive util)
-Carbon Copy Cloner 3.3(Harddrive util, clone)
-BootCD 0.6.4.1 (Harddrive util)
-SilverKeeper 2.0.2 (Harddrive util)
-CopyCatX (Harddrive util, clone..)

-KCNScrew (serials)
-Iserial Reader
-Pacifist 2.6.3
-Jdownloader