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| Author | ClassicMacs Firstclass server reminder (Read 21493 times) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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MarisaG
16 MB  Posts: 30 System 7 Newcomer! 
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on: January 06, 2023, 17:49
(If not allowed please let me know and I will remove it and not do it again) Monthly reminder for the Classic Macs FirstClass server. We have a permanent FirstClass server with over 300gb and 8,100 files to download for classic Macs. What is FirstClass? It's a GUI BBS for classic Macs from the 80's & 90's. Not a lot of them around anymore but this is the best way to get apps for classic Macs that can not access websites easily. Just download this one app and you get access to all the files in the repo using a GUI... Join to get great files and make new friends. To get detailed instructions on how to access the server go to https://macos.retro-os.live/index.php/firstclass/first-class-server-access and follow the steps... |
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Bolkonskij
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Administrator 1024 MB  Posts: 2023
Reply #1 on: January 07, 2023, 08:19
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Marisa, you're welcomed to post updates here whenever there's something interesting to report. And as stated before, a thumbs up from me for creating a new Mac OS resource! Does this actually work with old compact Macs like the Plus and SE too? Because they tend to have trouble accessing even the Mac Garden anyhow decently, so there's indeed a gap in availability that a BBS like yours could close.
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68040
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512 MB Posts: 950 68k - thy kingdom come, thy will be done !
Reply #2 on: January 07, 2023, 11:31
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I downloaded the client and will give it a try later on. Are the files on your BBS virus checked and if yes what tool do you use?
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Bolkonskij
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Administrator 1024 MB Posts: 2023
Reply #3 on: January 07, 2023, 11:53
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I'd also be interested in where you got your files - is this basically a Mac Garden mirror or where did you get them from?
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Neal_SE30
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256 MB Posts: 401 System 7 Newcomer!
Reply #4 on: January 07, 2023, 23:44
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I’ll be joining once i get my se/30 up and running:)
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MarisaG
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16 MB Posts: 30 System 7 Newcomer!
Reply #5 on: January 08, 2023, 09:17
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Thanks for allowing me to share! Here are some answers to the questions: 1) Yes these files should work on anything that supports OS6 or 7.x. I also offer a service where I can send someone a CD with the firstclass client files are all expanded and a copy of Stuffit included as well so people can get going even if they don't have a way to download the required clients. 2) I source my files from Macintosh Garden and Macintosh Repository after trying to confirm they work on B&W 680x0 machines. Its OK if they do support color, I just try and keep out the ones that require it. I also allow for a limited version of color software if someone thinks it is of general interest. 3) As for viruses I depend on the two source sites to scan them, but I do have virex on the server too and while I don't know if it supports classic Mac viruses but I scan the whole Linux host system for viruses every day so the file repos are scanned that way at least. If someone submits a file directly I will scan it for viruses of course.
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68040
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512 MB Posts: 950 68k - thy kingdom come, thy will be done !
Reply #6 on: January 08, 2023, 11:59
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Quote I source my files from Macintosh Garden and Macintosh RepositoryYou are aware that the later has "sourced" (aka "shamelessly sucked") almost all his file from the Garden and is charging a fee to download the fruit of other people's trees? So you can just as well skip this wannabe and try your luck with more unique (and free) alternatives like VintageAppleMac, Preterhuman a.s.o. There is next to nothing on the pretender's "repo" that wasn't on the Garden first.
Last Edit: January 08, 2023, 12:46 by 68040
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MarisaG
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16 MB Posts: 30 System 7 Newcomer!
Reply #7 on: January 08, 2023, 12:30
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Yes I know about the "issues" with that site, but from time to time I see files appear on there that the garden doesn't have. I don't like how he does those things like ridiculous limits on downloads per day, 250kps download rates, and more. At least I am open that I source files from MG and I don't intend to be a general purpose Mac resource, just the B&W 7.x versions that might have trouble with most websites. I'll check and make sure those 2 sites are listed on the macos.retro-os.live link area! FYI - the reason I asked if it was OK is that I got told that if I posted about it again I would be kicked off the "apple fritter" website & discord...
Last Edit: January 08, 2023, 14:25 by MarisaG
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Bolkonskij
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Administrator 1024 MB Posts: 2023
Reply #8 on: January 08, 2023, 15:06
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Oh that's a pity, really. I dig everyone creating something instead of sitting on Facebook and posting pictures of shelves full of "Mac collections". This has been a recurring topic here. (being a creator instead of only consumer) Your service with a focus to compact Macs & early 68k machines is a nice idea. Go go go! :-) ... another issue with a lot of Mac Garden files is that you can't unstuff them on these old 68000 machines unless you install System 7 because a lot use StuffIt 5.5. It's a tedious process. So if you add some quality control and possibly even go repackaging stuff so that as a user I KNOW this download will be useable - that'd be a cool thing. Just an idea :-) The Mac Repo is really after the typical Google user trying to set up an emulator. I don't think anyone in the Mac OS community has any respect for them but then obviously it generates some nice passive income for that somebody in Canada. Pretty fed-up to see my scanned manuals and screenshots up on his page.
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MarisaG
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16 MB Posts: 30 System 7 Newcomer!
Reply #9 on: January 08, 2023, 15:44
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Quote from: Bolkonskij Your service with a focus to compact Macs & early 68k machines is a nice idea. Go go go! :-) ... another issue with a lot of Mac Garden files is that you can't unstuff them on these old 68000 machines unless you install System 7 because a lot use StuffIt 5.5. It's a tedious process. So if you add some quality control and possibly even go repackaging stuff so that as a user I KNOW this download will be useable - that'd be a cool thing. Just an idea :-) Thanks  How about if I add a conference listing files people want converted? I'd be happy to do it one-off no problem. If it wouldn't lose the resource forks I could do it in linux but I don't know enough about applescript to do it within the mac part of the server, assuming that there is a MacOS6-compatible version of stuffit...
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cballero
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1024 MB Posts: 1179 System 7, today and forever
Reply #10 on: January 08, 2023, 19:45
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I remember fondly of using Stuff it 3.7 lite because it allowed you to stuff archives quite nicely. I've wondered in the past if it would make a good StuffIt version to use for older Macs? I'm throwing the idea out there to see if that might make a good choice/viable version for something like this? It also allows you to pick how to stuff things, which is what I love
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MarisaG
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16 MB Posts: 30 System 7 Newcomer!
Reply #11 on: January 08, 2023, 23:31
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I'll take a look at setting that up on my SE/30 to use to bundle with my FirstClass client CD's. Thanks for pointing me to a version that works!
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cballero
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1024 MB Posts: 1179 System 7, today and forever
Reply #12 on: January 09, 2023, 02:57
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Boy, my memory's begging to play tricks on me!  So I did recall using StuffIt Lite 3.0.7 very early in the game and I just kept using it happily but since we have both StuffIt Lite 3.6 and StuffIt Deluxe 4.5, either of those should be fine for archiving (I'd go for the Lite since it's an earlier version, but 4.5 might have some neat tricks up its sleeve and neither seems to have any bad to says about them, so maybe test both and see which one you like more? They are mentioned to be fully compatible!Hope this helps! Now if online space and bandwidth are not an issue at all and all you want is to keep the Mac binary formatting, then you may want to consider bin-hexxing with either the .bin (my favorite) .hqx formats (older and makes slightly larger files) which both preserve a Mac file's binary file format. This also eliminates the need to use StuffIt but the StuffIt compression programs can easily open both of these formats. Best of all, a lot of the StuffIt tools, if not all, can encode both of these archival formats
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Bolkonskij
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Administrator 1024 MB Posts: 2023
Reply #13 on: January 09, 2023, 12:31
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StuffIt 1.5.1 used to be the best compatible version but had trouble with nested folders. Single folders with files in it is OK but a folder with folders in it is not so good. In the latter case, it seems to work but when you re-inflate the archive you find things are not right. Then StuffIt v3.5 got a lot of attention for being well-rounded. You still find a lot of archives created by it. This works fine on System 6 too. Then they changed format with v5 and broke backward compatibility with v5. So if you dropstuff anything with StuffIt 5.5 for example, you won't be able to open it on System 6 and StuffIt 3.x. I would, however, advise using .mar / .mac http://macintoshgarden.org/apps/mar It's relatively new, it's very resourceful and works down to a 512k Mac and very old System combos even prior System 6. It preserves file and folder dates, placement inside folders etc. There's rumours the Mac Garden might switch to .mar in the future entirely, so I think it's the compression software to use if you want to do it right. (v0.2.0)
Last Edit: January 09, 2023, 18:51 by Bolkonskij
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68040
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512 MB Posts: 950 68k - thy kingdom come, thy will be done !
Reply #14 on: January 09, 2023, 14:02
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I can confirm that mar works fine on B-II/MacOS 8.1 emulation.
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