Moonlight by Apple close to fruition

While Apple Computer Inc. focuses buyers' and developers' attention on the Mac OS X, the company is continuing to tune up a forthcoming update of its classic Mac OS.

Sources told eWEEK that the maker of the Mac is on the verge of releasing Mac OS 9.2, code-named Moonlight.

Mac OS 9.2, which began development earlier this year, will boast improved stability and performance when used as a layer of the Classic Mac OS X.

It will also include a slew of bug fixes and add support for new Apple hardware. The update is expected to be available as a free download, although it will require an OS X-compatible Mac for installation.

Sources familiar with the Mac OS 9.2 told eWEEK that recent builds have been solid and fast. Additionally, much of Apple's bug-fixing seems to have been successful, sources said. "It's very stable and works well under the Classic side," noted one insider, who requested anonymity.

Its classic functionality is an important piece of Apple's Mac OS X strategy.

To ease the transition when using older applications under the new system, Mac OS 9 can be installed alongside Mac OS X. Users can then employ it within the OS X as a Classic compatibility environment, running most applications that have not been updated to run natively.

Since its March 24 release, Mac OS X has taken center stage at the headquarters of Apple in Cupertino, California.

"The train is leaving the station," CEO Steve Jobs has repeatedly told developers, warning them that if their Mac development isn't redirected to the new OS, they may be left behind as competitors roll out their own wares for OS X.

Mac OS 9 was initially released in October 1999 and received an incremental 9.1 update without fanfare in January. The Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X development groups at Apple were also combined in March, reflecting Apple's overall OS priorities.

"The development cycle on this product has been very quick," one Apple insider commented. Third-party developers have now been informed that Mac OS 9.2's development is winding down, confirming other reports that the update is almost out the door. With OS 9.1's quiet release, it is likely that once it is fully set, Moonlight will become publicly available in similar low-key fashion.

-- eWEEK