Version: 8.5.1
Platform: North American English
8.5.1 announcement and immediate download; cited file requires North American English 8.5. Localized versions planned later that month.
Apple source ↗Mac OS 8.5
Mac OS 8.5 was released in October 1998, the month Apple confirms in its later 8.5.1 announcement. No exact day is assigned here without a consulted original supporting it. It required a Macintosh that originally shipped with PowerPC, at least 16 MB of physical RAM and 24 MB of logical memory. Apple did not consider clone systems tested or qualified.
- Type
- Operating system
- Family
- Classic Mac OS
- Documented 8.5 release
- October 1998; day not assigned
- 8.5 requirements
- Original PowerPC; 16 MB physical / 24 MB logical
- 8.6 requirements
- Original PowerPC; 24 MB physical / 32 MB logical
- Included updates
- 8.5.1 · 8.6
Apple · TN1142 · Mac OS 8.5 · Apple · 8.5.1 · 1998-12-07 · MacTech
Sherlock expanded Find File with content searches of indexed files and Internet searches. These were historical features, not a guarantee that those services still work today. The Finder added Favorites and AppleScript folder actions; the documentation also describes more PowerPC code, Unicode text drawing through ATSUI and HTML-based help.
Apple · TN1142 · Mac OS 8.5 · Apple · Sherlock · TA25758 · Internet Archive
Apple announced 8.5.1 on December 7, 1998 with an immediate free download. The preserved information file covers North American English and requires 8.5 in that language; localized versions were announced for later in December. It addressed installation, AppleScript and data-corruption problems and improved Sherlock. These fixes are not a promise of a fault-free system.
Apple · 8.5.1 · 1998-12-07 · MacTech · Apple · 8.5.1 Info · your.org
Mac OS 8.6 was announced on May 10, 1999 as a free downloadable update for 8.5 users. It extended content searches to PDF and HTML, and Apple announced stability and PowerBook battery-life improvements, without establishing the same result on every computer. Requirements rose to 24 MB physical and 32 MB logical memory. This entry's links to the original 1997 PowerBook G3 describe compatible upgrades, not factory-installed systems.
Apple · 8.6 · 1999-05-10 · MacTech · Apple · TN1163 · preterhuman.net · Apple · PowerBook G3 1997 · MacDat
Dates documented by Apple
Selected milestones, not a complete history. 8.5 is documented in October 1998 without assigning an exact day. Dates below are not extended to all localizations. No builds.
ISO date: year-month-day.
Version: 8.6
Platform: Apple announcement
Announcement and free downloadable update for 8.5 users. Does not establish the same day for all localizations.
Apple source ↗Apple releases preserved by MacTech, updater information preserved by your.org, Sherlock document preserved by Internet Archive and TN1163 preserved by preterhuman.net. TN1142 is hosted by Apple. Revision and preservation dates are not releases.
Devices and compatibility
PowerBook G3 (original, 1997) (1997)
8.5
Compatible upgrade under TN1142: original PowerPC, 16 MB physical and 24 MB logical. Not this model's factory system.
PowerBook G3 (original, 1997) (1997)
8.5.1
Upgrade from 8.5. Preserved package requires North American English; no shared date or installer is assumed for every language. Not factory-installed.
PowerBook G3 (original, 1997) (1997)
8.6
Compatible upgrade from 8.5, with at least 24 MB physical and 32 MB logical under TN1163. These differ from 8.5 requirements. Not factory-installed.