Mac OS 9 - Features

Features

Apple billed Mac OS 9 as including "50 New Features" and heavily marketed its Sherlock 2 software, which introduced a 'channels' feature for searching different online resources and introduced a QuickTime-like metallic appearance. Mac OS 9 also featured integrated support for Apple’s suite of Internet services known as iTools (later re-branded as .Mac, then MobileMe, which is now known as iCloud) and included improved TCP/IP functionality with Open Transport 2.5.

Other features new to Mac OS 9 include:

• Integrated support for multiple user accounts without using At Ease.
• Support for voice login through VoicePrint passwords.
• Keychain, a feature allowing users to save passwords and textual data encrypted in protected keychains.
• A Software Update control panel for automatic download and installation of Apple system software updates.
• A redesigned Sound control panel and support for USB audio.
• Speakable Items 2.0, also known as PlainTalk, featuring improved speech synthesis and recognition along with AppleScript integration.
• Improved font management through FontSync.
• Remote Access Personal Server 3.5, including support for TCP/IP clients over Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP).
• An updated version of AppleScript with support for TCP/IP.
• Personal File Sharing over TCP/IP.
• USB Printer Sharing, a control panel allowing certain USB printers to be shared across a TCP/IP network.
• 128-bit file encryption in the Finder.
• Support for files larger than 2 GB.
• Unix volume support.
• CD Burning in the Finder (introduced in Mac OS 9.1).
• Addition of a 'Window' menu to the Finder (introduced in Mac OS 9.1)