The Best Browsers for PowerPC Macs and the Classic Mac OS
- 2005.12.16
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In my previous article, we looked at 68k Mac browser and email options. Now we'll look at options for PowerPC (PPC) Macs running the classic Mac OS.
Email is less an issue with PPC Macs; certainly there are more options available than for the 68k platform. However, like the older Macs, the classic Mac OS/PPC platform is not overflowing with options for viewing the Web.
Still, we should be thankful there are any available options, since Mac OS 9 was officially declared dead over two years ago. There are, in fact, two very solid choices - iCab 3.0 beta and WaMCom - to go along with a host of less ideal, although still somewhat functional, browsers.
Unless otherwise noted, expect that you'll need Mac OS 8.6 to 9.2.2 in order to run the following applications.
iCab 3.0 beta
Take all the good things I said about iCab 2.9.8 and subtract most of the negatives. iCab 3.0, hereafter referred to simply as iCab, truly improves upon the very promising base present in older versions. All of the neat little customizable treats remain in place, and a few are even easier to implement.
iCab continues to refine the power user tools that were previously hidden and/or too complex for the average user by bringing them to the foreground. Now the casual user can more easily discover what sets iCab apart from other browsers.
Although I didn't touch upon this feature in my earlier article, the ability to change how your browser identifies itself to websites remains present in the updated iCab. Why is this feature useful? Some designers insist on restricting access to their sites to specific browsers, even when there's no technical reason to do so. As long as the offending website doesn't actually need a technology present in a specific browser, iCab makes it easy to trick the site into granting you the privilege of viewing its content.
In iCab 2.9.8, activating this feature required navigating to the Edit Menu, selecting Preferences, and changing two different settings - a somewhat hidden and complicated process. Now, when visiting such rudely designed websites, all you need to do is navigate to the View menu and select the Default Identity you want iCab to pretend to be.
Another addition are shortcuts for adding filters with a simple right click or a drag-and-drop maneuver. Very handy indeed. Don't worry, more to come on how to use the filter manager in a future installment. For now, suffice it to say these features are an improvement over the iCab 2.9.8 way of setting up filters.
The newest version of iCab is not simply a refinement of previously available tools - many months of hard work have gone into extending the feature set.
Of the many additions, my favorite is the included RSS reader. True, the reader is very bare bones, but now you have access to Podcasts and other RSS feeds. In a limited sense, anyway, but there are tricks to making this feature work more like a normal RSS reader. Again we will delve into customizing iCab in a future installment. I won't leave you hanging for too long, I promise.
There are two small complaints that slightly mar an otherwise positive browsing experience. One, the beta is not tuned for speed, and two, there are a few bugs that spring up from time to time when attempting to render a page or interact with forms.
Most bugs are ironed out between updates, but there is a definite beta pallor to iCab that colors your browsing experience a wee bit.
Also, if you want the latest build of iCab, you will need to pay the registration fee. I decided to register my version about a year ago, because I wanted to encourage the iCab developers to keep the classic Mac OS platform relevant. I also enjoy getting access to the latest builds as soon as they are released.
If you feel the same way, I'm sure the development team would love the support. By the way, this goes for any Mac software developer. There are three ways to show how much you love a particular application:
- Provide feedback
- Tell your friends
- Pay registration fees or, in the case of freeware, donate money to the cause. Every little bit helps.
End of public service announcement.
Overall, I urge all readers to give iCab 3.0 a try. You may come away impressed with what the classic Mac OS can still do for your web browsing needs.
WaMCom
I find iCab 3.0 beta to be my browser of choice with the classic Mac OS, but I realize different people have different needs from a web browser. Some users prefer the suite approach, which WaMCom (for Web and Mail Communicator) brings to the table with spades.
This section will be dutifully succinct. If you're familiar with the old Netscape Communicator, Mozilla, or SeaMonkey, you'll be instantly at home with WaMCom. Indeed, you are looking at the last version of Mozilla produced for the classic Mac OS.
Email, IRC chat, WYSIWYG web editor, and web browser are all found in one convenient application.
The advantages to WaMCom:
- Tabs.
- Popup blocker.
- Contains most web related features, most users will want in one convenient package.
- Relatively stable.
- Good compatibility with web sites.
- Open source, which means any enterprising Mac user could continue development
The negatives:
- Buggy, not prone to crashes, but basic operations may randomly malfunction.
- No longer being maintained. There are known bugs and possible security holes, but no one is addressing these issues. However, because the code is open, there is always a chance a group of users could start maintaining the application again.
WannaBe
Although there are other full featured browsers, you can still get good mileage out WannaBe, a sweet, little browser. The same comments apply from the 68k version. WannaBe is great for PPC users with low RAM, slow connections (such as dialup), or who don't have access to Mac OS 8.6 or higher.
Opera 6.0.3
All the basic Opera goodies from yesteryear are still here. Tabs, popup blocker, and the flexible and quirky interface are all intact. Unfortunately, Opera is a little unstable and not terribly compatible with every site. (If you have OS X, I suggest giving Opera 8.5 a try. It's my primary browser for any OS X Mac I have to maintain.)
Netscape
I have not dealt with any version of Netscape past the 4.x versions, but I'm sure if you really want one, a download link shouldn't be too hard to find. Netscape is a suite and generally contains the same basic components I listed under WaMCom: email, chat, composer, and browser in one application. I have no real experience here, so I must ask for reader input.
Internet Explorer 4.5 - 5.1.7
Way too many crashes for me while running any version of Internet Explorer (IE). No tabs, no popup blocker, and slow rendering.
Okay, compatibility with websites, decent printing, and the auction manager are kind of neat. I refuse to provide a link, as I cannot in good conscious recommend Internet Explorer over iCab 3.0 or WaMCom. If you must subject yourself to IE, I'll bet Google will help you locate the information. Good luck - you'll need it.
- Editor's note: The best thing about IE is that it comes free with a lot of older versions of the Mac OS, so you have a tool for browsing the Web and downloading better browsers. If you must use IE, version 5.1.7 supports Mac OS 8.1 through 9.2.2. Like Nathan, I don't recommend IE. dk
I now implore Low End Mac readers to regale me with tales of their favorite browsers, email clients, and other web software (FTP client, chat, etc.) for 68k and PPC Macs. I've already received feedback on the first article, and I welcome any additional information you, the readers, can provide.
Please look forward to a part three followup to our Web Options for the Classic Mac OS series and other future installments of Embracing Obsolescence.
Remember, old does not equal useless. We are Mac users after
all. 
Further Reading
- Link: iCab 3.0 beta
- Link: WaMCom
- Link: WannaBe
- Link: Opera 6.0.3
- Link: Internet Explorer 5.1.7
Recent Embracing Obsolescence articles
- Steve Jobs stirs up the DRM hornet's nest, 02.12. Stripping DRM would level the playing field for players and allow digital music services to compete on price, quality, and selection.
- SoundApp an audio workhorse for PowerPC, 680x0 Macs, 12.22. For those using the classic Mac OS, SoundApp can convert tracks, play music, and look up CD tracks online.
- The iAudio G3: More features than an iPod nano at an iPod shuffle price, 12.14. The iAudio G3 lets you avoid DRM lock-in while providing multiformat support, more features than an iPod nano, and a price lower than Apple's iPod shuffle.
- Does Zune improve the DRM landscape or just increase confusion?, 12.08. Microsoft has forsaken backward compatibility with its own PlaysForSure standard to take on the iPod. Won't that just further confuse potential customers?
- More in the Embracing Obsolescence index.
Links for the Day
- Mac of the Day: 15" 'TiBook' PowerBook G4, Jan. 2001 - A new 1" thin PowerBook design with a titanium case, 15" widescreen display.
- Group of the Day: ModBook List covers the Axiotronic ModBook tablet Mac.
- January 9 in LEM history: 01: Macworld keynote - 02: The new iMac - Redefining Apple's market - 03: Safari shows off the Apple difference - Impressions of Safari beta - 04: The colored iPod mini - 06: Installing 'Tiger' on unsupported Macs - Time to replace 5-year-old PowerBook - 07: iPhone and Apple TV - Axiotron Modbook - Mac vs. PC price comparisons are never fair - Backup to the rescue - 08: 2008 Mac Pro value equation
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- MacBook Keyboard Among Best Ever, Glass Trackpad Less than Intuitive, TiBook Desktop Mod, and More, The 'Book Review, 01.09. Also $179 to change battery in 17" MacBook Pro, argument for an Apple netbook, MacBook Air SuperDrive hacked for any Mac, bargain 'Books from $170 to $2,299, and more.
- BYO $240 Hackintosh, HyperCard Resurrection, USB 3.0 10x as Fast, SlimBlade Trackball, and More, Mac News Review, 01.09. Also the brilliance of the Macworld keynote, businesses embracing Macs, Picasa for Mac available, Toast Titanium 10 ships, and more.
- iPhone Reaches Vermont, 15 iPhone Tips, Apple's iGlove, First Editable Office App for iPhone, and More, iNews Review, 01.09. Also WebEx collaboration on the iPhone 3G, hands-free visor kit from Kensington, portable iPod and iPhone power, new cases from Speck, and more.
- Hooked on Classic Macs, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 01.09. Tommy Thomas is back with a renewed focus on Macs that can run the 'classic' Mac OS.
- Software Should Come with a Fresh Date, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 01.09. Sooner or later, some hardware or OS update will probably break a program you own. Software vendors should be up front about how long they'll support it.
- Thanks for the IBM PC, Dad, L. Victor Marks, My First Mac, 01.09. Dad, thanks for bringing home that first IBM PC way back in 1981.
- What a Legacy: The Origin of the IBM PC, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 01.09. IBM introduced its PC on August 12, 1981, shaking up the entire personal computer industry. Today even Apple makes its computers IBM compatible.
- Our Debt to the IBM PC, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.09. A Mac user looks at the legacy of the IBM PC.
- Heat Management for 'Books and the Last Mac to Run OS 9.1, Phil Herlihy, The Usefulness Equation, 01.08. Tips on keeping a first-gen MacBook Air from throttling back with CoolBook, using G4FanControl with a G4 PowerBook, and the fastest Mac that can boot Mac OS 9.1.
- Surprise, Average Broadband Throughput Is Lower than Maximum Throughput, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.08. If a service is advertised as 8 Mbps maximum, it shouldn't surprise anyone that the average speed is below that number.
- A History of Apple's Lisa, 1979-1986, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 01.08. Originally envisioned as a business computer to replace the Apple II, the Lisa brought the mouse and GUI to the computer market - only to be felled by the less costly Macintosh.
- Lisa's DNA Is All Over Modern Computing, Ray Arachelian, Apple Seeds, 01.08. Those who label Apple's Lisa a failure are ignoring the computer's legacy that shows up in every personal computer sold today.
- The Innovative Lisa, Dan Knight, Online Tech Journal, 01.08. Apple's Lisa and how it paved the way for the Macintosh.
- The Lisa Legacy, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.08. We should always remember how Apple's innovation paved the way for all future computers.
- Waterfield First with SleeveCase for New 17" Unibody MacBook Pro, Charles W. Moore, 'Book Value, 01.08. Waterfield has a reputation for top quality bags at appropriate prices, and it's already designed a sleeve for the new 17" Unibody MacBook Pro.
- Blackouts and Web Access, Death of a Kanga, the Future of PowerPC Macs, and More, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 01.07. Also another email client suggestion and whether a G3 iMac can handle a 7200 rpm hard drive without overheating.
- The 17" Unibody MacBook Pro Value Equation, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.07. The new model is a bit faster, a bit smaller, a bit lighter, and has an incredible 8-hour battery life.
- How Netbooks Impact Microsoft and Apple, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 01.07. Netbooks are keeping Windows XP alive, which may slow adoption of Windows 7, and perceived value keeps the Mac market share growing at the expense of Windows.
- Apple's Worst Business Decisions: Another Perspective, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 01.07. Apple's poor business decisions predate the Macintosh. Let's hope they learn from their mistakes.
- The Ill-Fated Apple III, Jason Walsh, Apple Before the Mac, 01.07. "...not only was the Apple III mind crunchingly expensive, it was made with none of the passion of the Apple II or Macintosh."
- 2 Apple Failures: Apple III and Lisa, Tom Hormby, Orchard, 01.07. Apple's two not-so-great product lines between the Apple II line and the Macintosh.
- Apple III Chaos: Apple's First Failure, Joshua Coventry, Cortland, 01.07. Apple had known nothing but success with its Apple II product line, but when it tried to enter the business world with the Apple III, the learned the cost of failure.
- More links in our archive.
Recent Deals
- Best MacBook Deals, 01.09. Used 1.83 GHz, $595; 2.0 SD, $650; refurb 2.1 GHz, $849; 2.2, $899; 2.4, $949; new 2.1 SD, $945 after rebate; 2.4, $900 a/r; 2.0 Unibody, $1,199 a/r; more.
- Best G5 iMac Deals, 01.09. Used 17" 1.6 GHz Combo, $400; 1.8 SuperDrive, $450; 1.9 iSight, $575; 20" 1.8 GHz, $500; 2.0, $625; 2.1 iSight, $699.
- Best iPod nano deals, 01.09. New 3G/8 GB, $125 shipped; 4G/8 GB, $134 shipped; 16 GB, $175 shipped (most colors).
- Best Apple TV Deals, 01.08. Refurb 40 GB Apple TV, $199; new, $220; refurb 160 GB, $279; new, $320. Prices include ground shipping.
- Best Mac Pro Deals, 01.08. New 2.8 GHz 4-core, $2,099 after rebate; refurb 8-core, $2,399; new, $2,589 a/r; 3.0 $3,398 a/r; refurb 3.2, $4,099; new, $4,099 a/r.
- Best 12" PowerBook G4 Deals, 01.08. Used 867 MHz Combo, $490; 1.33 GHz, $548; 1.5 GHz SuperDrive, $595.
- Best 17" MacBook Pro Deals, 01.07. Used 2.16 GHz Core Duo, $1,190; 2.33 Core 2, $1,400; 2.4, $1,799; refurb 2.33, $1,799; 2.5, $1,899; new, $1,900; refurb 2.6, $2,299.
- Best Power Mac G5 Deals, 01.07. Used 1.8 GHz single, $500; dual, $629, 2.0, $700; dual-core, $929; 2.3, $999; 2.5 dual, $900; 2.7, $1,089; 2.5 Quad, $1,399.
- Best iPod shuffle Deals, 01.07. Refurb 1 GB '07, $39 shipped; new, $43; '08, $45; refurb 2 GB '07, $59 shipped; new, $58; '08, $63.
- More deals in our archive.
Low End Mac Reader Specials
Memory To Go Special: MacPro 8 Core 8GB kit $232 / 4GB kit $116 / 2GB kit $72. New Macbook 2GB DDR3-$65. HARD DRIVES available -- Free shipping / LIfetime warranty.
Download Typestyler, still the Ultimate Styling Tool for Internet, Print and Video Graphics. Works great in Classic with a Native OS X Version on the way. Free Tryout: www.typestyler.com
LA Computer Company: Specials on AppleCare, iMac's, Apple Batteries and Apple A/C Adapters. Also Great prices on Used Apple Computers. Call 1-800-941-7654 Click Here.
Mac users can finally play Party Poker for Mac. Not only that, they can also learn how to play PokerStars for Mac.
Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.
Compare products like desktop computers, laptops, and LCD TVs side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for a new cell phone GPS products or MP3 players. The Ciao network makes searching products easy for you.
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