Up to the Past - Mac OS 9.1
That's as opposed to "Back to the Future."

We got a new printer, one of those all-in-one deals, basically for two reasons: to have a copier, and to have a networked printer, which our old one wasn't. The Apple store's information claimed that the HP model we got is compatible with Mac OS 8.6 and above, even though HP's web site states that Mac OS 9.1 is required. We have an aged (around seven years old) Mac in our network that was running Mac OS 9.0, so there was some risk that the new printer wouldn't work with it. Of course, we didn't buy the printer from Apple, but from a retailer that had it on sale.

As you might expect, it turned out that HP was right. Their printer software installer refused to proceed once it found out that the Mac OS version wasn't at least 9.1. I searched the Apple support site and, to my amazement and relief, found a downloadable update from 9.0 to 9.1. Note that the update document was created 2001 Jan. 5, but was last modified 2003 Dec. 3. After installing the update, the printer software installation proceeded successfully. Printing works as much as I've tried so far, even background printing, once I used the "desktop" facilities.

My compliments and appreciation go to Apple for keeping available an update, over three years old, for an operating system they don't sell anymore.

Though there are further updates available, from 9.1 to 9.2.1, and from 9.2.1 to 9.2.2, I didn't push my luck.

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Mars Rovers' Embedded Systems
An article on Space.com gives some details on the computer systems in the Mars rovers, which are nothing more exotic than radiation hardened PowerPC based machines running VxWorks - pretty standard stuff, except for the radiation hardened, for high end embedded systems.

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Revisionist Apple History

It was twenty years ago today.
Apple Computer taught the bland to play.

(Not exactly twenty years ago today, but close enough.)

Apple has tampered with an historical document, the famous 1984 Superbowl Ad for the Macintosh, which now has the hammer thrower wearing an iPod.

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Make 7 UP Yours
Can you believe that 7 UP's tag-line is "Make 7 UP Yours"? (italics mine)

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