A developer named yllan recently released a map application called OS9Map, which brings a modern map experience to the classic Mac OS 9 operating system that has been discontinued for many years. The software is based on the open source mapping project OpenStreetMap, which provides access to geographic data, satellite imagery, and information similar to those found in modern mapping services through a "real" Internet connection.
Although OS9Map does not try to compete with Google Maps, it provides landmark and address search functions and supports saving locations as bookmarks to improve the convenience of users of older machines.
According to the developer's instructions, running OS9Map requires Mac OS 9, a Macintosh computer based on a PowerPC processor, at least 16MB of RAM (32MB or more recommended), and a TCP/IP Internet connection based on Apple's Open Transport network stack. On older, more powerful PowerPC Macs, users can get a smoother map canvas scrolling experience and take advantage of features like search and bookmarks.
In addition to OS9Map, yllan has also released a number of social client applications designed specifically for Mac OS 9, including the Bluesky client PlatinumSky, which supports attachments and emoticons, and the Mastodon client Palaeomastodon. All of this software is only available for classic Macintosh computers based on Apple's PowerPC architecture, and is completely free for users still using these older machines. Users can also donate a small amount of money through the Buy Me a Coffee platform to support the developers' continued development.
In his introduction, ylian said that he had wanted to write software for the Macintosh since his childhood. He had tried to develop a simple "Space Invaders" clone game in the early days, but these attempts were described as "clumsy". He has since studied computer science and now works in a modern development environment, but today's software world is a world away from the days of the classic Mac: complex frameworks, build pipelines, and cloud services often make writing code more cumbersome.
The developer said that he was inspired to fulfill his childhood wish after "accidentally" opening an emulator running an older version of the Mac system. OS9Map, PlatinumSky, and other recently released "legacy" apps are native Mac OS 9 programs that don't rely on proxies or "opportunistic" bridges to connect classic Mac technology to the modern Internet environment. As yllan says of herself: "This was a dream I had when I was twelve, accomplished with a patience I didn't have when I was twelve."