Apple’s new PowerMac G4 systems don’t come with a PlainTalk microphone, and although you can buy one, it’s the first time in years that Apple hasn’t included a microphone with their high-end systems. Unfortunately, Apple seems to be contradicting itself in this area. However, we often had trouble speaking our own passwords, and we would’ve been locked out of our own systems if it weren’t for the option of typing our password in as a backup. I tested voice verification several times with other people, and neither of us could break the other person’s password. Each user can then simply speak a phrase to log into the computer instead of manually typing a password. Once you enable voice verification, you can set up an alternate password for each user. While Multiple Users is exciting, the “neatest” new feature in Mac OS 9 has to be voice verification the ability to speak your password as opposed to manually typing it. Also disturbing is the fact that many programs don’t cooperate well with Multiple Users, especially the new Panels interface, meaning that you may need to wait for updates to take full advantage of this exciting new feature.
Turning Multiple Users off yielded normal startup times. When I had multiple users enabled, I experienced a startup “hang” of almost a minute on my “Wallstreet” PowerBook G3/250, and about 30 seconds on a Blue and White G3/450. Unfortunately, the use of Multiple Users does slow the system down somewhat. You can also limit the specific applications and CD/DVDs the users are allowed to open.
You can limit such features as control panels, Apple Menu Items, the Chooser, and specific parts of your hard disk if you wish. You can create normal, limited, or Panels accounts, each with its own set of restrictions which can easily be fine-tuned. Once Multiple Users is set up, you can assign different privileges to different users. It is a huge advance that will make the use of any computer shared by multiple users 100% easier. Perhaps the most exciting and long-awaited feature in Mac OS 9 is its capability to handle multiple users on one computer, while retaining preferences such as desktop patterns, Internet settings, privileges, and the like. Best of all, it delivers them with the style and surprises that Mac users have become accustomed to. Mac OS 9 is a significant release that brings numerous long-awaited features to the Mac OS. The Mac OS has come a long way since then, and the release of Mac OS 9 further reinforces Apple’s resurgence in today’s competitive industry. It’s hard to believe that it’s been just a little over 2 years since Apple released Mac OS 8.
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