Macintosh Internet Software Updates

This page lists updates to what I consider to be the primary Internet applications for the Macintosh. Note that I don't track beta releases - they appear too frequently and most aren't worth the time you waste crashing.

If you try to download these files with a Web browser and you don't have StuffIt Expander to decode the file, the Web browser will complain about not being able to decode automatically, or might say that it can't find the viewing application. Get StuffIt Expander!. At that link, Aladdin Systems provides a good explanation of some of the various ways you can get StuffIt Expander, which is a little tricky. I can't provide you with a link to StuffIt Expander here because Web browsers can't properly download self-extracting files that aren't in MacBinary format, and if they are in MacBinary format, you need either MacBinary II+ or StuffIt Expander to decode them. It's a chicken-and-egg problem. Use Anarchie or Fetch to retrieve the copy of StuffIt Expander at this URL:

ftp://ftp.tidbits.com/pub/tidbits/select/stuffit-expander.sea.bin

I've also organized this information in table form, sorted alphabetically by program name. It looks lousy in MacWeb.

Thanks for supporting Internet Starter Kit for Macintosh! Recommendations to friends are always appreciated.

cheers ... -Adam C. Engst

14-Dec-98

Peter Lewis released Anarchie Pro 3.5, which adds numerous features including the capability to download Web pages, a Mac OS 8.5 look-and-feel, an editable address field, and numerous interface tweaks. Highly recommended.

Download Anarchie Pro (1418K)

Web Home Page

Home FTP Site

21-Oct-98

Netscape Communications released version 4.5 of Netscape Communicator, adding numerous improvements to overall performance as well as enhancements to email and contact management features. The stand-alone Netscape Navigator remains at version 4.07.

Download Netscape Navigator (13.9 MB)

Web Home Page

Home FTP Site

03-Jun-98

Microsoft has released Internet Explorer 4.01, fixing bugs and improving performance over Internet Explorer 4.0. Version 4.0 adds a number of important features, including the Explorer bar that provides fast access to search engines, your history list, your favorites, and channels. Channels provide a way to publish automatically updating content - once you subscribe to a channel you receive updates automatically without needing to visit the site each time (after you download Internet Explorer 4.0, try the TidBITS Channel). Still available are the capability to monitor Web sites for changes, an AutoComplete feature that finishes typing URLs for previously visited sites; site password management that remembers cookies, usernames, and passwords; and a Download Manager that downloads files in a download window. If you like Internet Explorer, I recommend this version. The downloads are large, but you can also download a 327K Active Setup Installer that will then download just the necessary components as part of the installation process.

Download Internet Explorer (12.6 MB Minimum Install, 29.2 MB Maximum Install)

Web Home Page

03-Jun-98

Aladdin Systems released version 4.5 of the shareware DropStuff with Expander Enhancer and version 4.5 of the free StuffIt Expander. Enhancements are almost entirely under the surface of both programs and include faster speeds, support for more file formats, and better format detection. Note that if you're using System 7.1 or earlier, you shouldn't upgrade, since DropStuff 4.5 requires 7.5 or later.

Download StuffIt Expander (656K)

Download DropStuff with Expander Enhancer (1.0 MB)

Web Home Page

Home FTP Site

03-Jun-98

John Norstad has retired Disinfectant and recommends that everyone switch to a supported commercial anti-virus utility; see the announcement in TidBITS. Disinfectant 3.7.1 remains available, but will not detect all current Macintosh viruses and worms.

Download Disinfectant (209K)

Home FTP Site

03-Jun-98

Steve Dagley and the FreePPP Group released FreePPP 2.6.2, which improves performance up to 30 percent, has better modem compatibility, an improved setup interface, 24 lines for scripts, and better stability. FreePPP 2.6.2 in general is a major interface and functionality upgrade from previous versions. If you use MacPPP 2.0.1 and MacTCP you need not move to FreePPP unless you want one of its additional features. If your connection isn't broken, don't mess with it. FreePPP works with Open Transport, unlike MacPPP 2.0.1, and it offers lots of features such as intelligent dialing based on your location and auto-detection of modems. I do not recommend any of the other versions of MacPPP that you might have seen.

Download FreePPP (787K)

Web Home Page

22-Jan-98

John Norstad released NewsWatcher 2.2.2, a relatively minor upgrade that brings NewsWatcher into compliance with version 2.0 of the Good Net-Keeping Seal of Approval (mainly things like restricting signature length and better cross-posting checks). Full documentation is also available.

Download NewsWatcher (681K)

Home FTP Site

03-Nov-97

Steve Dorner and Qualcomm released Eudora Light 3.1.3, which adds support for ACAP, the Application Configuration Access Protocol (mostly of interest to system administrators and ISPs) and enables system administrators to pre-configure the Mail Host (POP) server name in the Settings dialog so the user needs only enter his or her username. Unless you're a system administrator looking to simplify setup procedures or still using a pre-3.1 version of Eudora, I wouldn't bother downloading this version of Eudora Light. I do strongly recommend you upgrade to a 3.1 version of Eudora, especially if you're still using 1.5.x or earlier. New features since then include message filtering, support for displaying styled text, support for plug-ins, support for Macintosh Drag and Drop, active URLs, and a lot more. Eudora Pro (now at version 4.0) offers even more features, if you find that Eudora Light isn't quite enough for you. Note that with this release of Eudora, I'm no longer redistributing Eudora Light on my FTP site because there are several different versions to choose from and some include PGP, which can only be distributed legally to citizens of the U.S. and Canada.

Download Eudora (3500K)

Web Home Page

Home FTP Site

24-Sep-97

Peter Lewis and Quinn "The Eskimo!" released version 1.4 of Internet Config, a program designed to centralize all the preferences used by the many Internet applications available for the Macintosh (things like email address, SMTP server, NNTP server, and so on). Internet Config 1.4 offers significant reliability improvements over previous versions, along with a few new features, including support within the Internet Config application for routing "Get URL" Apple events, default preferences within the Internet Config extension, sanity checks on preferences, and an internal backup of the preferences so it can revert to that backup in the event of corruption. You don't absolutely need Internet Config 1.4 if you have 1.3, but it's worth snagging a new copy when you get around to it.

Download Internet Config (161K)

Web Home Page

Home FTP Site

12-Mar-97

Jim Matthews of Dartmouth College released Fetch 3.0.3, which fixes several minor bugs in 3.0.2. If you use Fetch, it's probably worth picking up this new release.

Download Fetch (952K)

Web Home Page

Home FTP Site

10-Feb-97

Apple released Open Transport 1.1.2, which is worth getting if you're experiencing any communications problems (especially if you're running a server) but is just bug fixes to previous versions. You should have at least System 7.5.3 to use Open Transport 1.1.2. I am not redistributing Open Transport - the link below goes to Apple's (often overloaded) machine at mirrors.apple.com. Do note that version 1.1.2 has been supplanted by both 1.2 and 1.3, but those are available only with operating system upgrades, so if you want a newer version of Open Transport, you'll have to upgrade to Mac OS 8.1.

Download Open Transport (7.5 MB)

Web Home Page

30-Nov-96

Roger Brown released version 2.0.2 of InterNews, which is a bug fix upgrade to 2.0, a major new release. InterNews 2.0 is PowerPC native, support Open Transport, has no 32K text limit, supports Internet Config, and includes article filtering. 2.0.2 offers no new features, but does have a 40-day time limit that's removed when you pay the shareware fee.

Download InterNews (2.7 MB)

Web Home Page

Home FTP Site

25-Nov-96

Apple has released Open Transport/PPP 1.0, better known as OT/PPP 1.0. OT/PPP works with Open Transport to provide PPP dialup support, much as MacPPP and FreePPP have done all along. Reports vary, but I've seen a number of people who claim that OT/PPP feels faster than FreePPP. However, OT/PPP isn't as configurable as FreePPP, especially if you travel a lot and use FreePPP's Locations feature. OT/PPP and FreePPP can co-exist, so you're not locked into one or the other. I am not redistributing OT/PPP - the link below goes to Apple's (often overloaded) machine at ftptoo.support.apple.com.

Download OT/PPP 1.0 (1.5 MB)

Web Home Page

03-Sep-96

Peter Lewis released version 2.0 of Mac TCP Watcher, adding support for Open Transport, making it PowerPC-native, and building in a traceroute feature. Mac TCP Watcher (note the slight name change from the original MacTCP Watcher) is an essential part of every sophisticated Internet user's toolkit.

Download Mac TCP Watcher (361K)

Web Home Page

Home FTP Site

19-Jun-96

For those who use SoundMachine as their helper application for .au sound files on the Web, the current version of SoundMachine is now 2.6.2. It's a fat binary for use with Power Macs, and although it doesn't include manuals with the archive, documentation in Acrobat format is available on the Web. The only changes are minor bug fixes.

Download SoundMachine (386K)

Web Home Page

19-Jun-96

EINet, now known as TradeWave, has released MacWeb 2.0, but they aren't distributing it at all. They also haven't replied to my mail asking about distribution of previous versions, so I'm leaving 1.00A3.2 (which has the same code as 1.1.1E) available. I recommend you use Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator instead.

Download MacWeb (358K)

Download MacWeb (Power Mac only - 418K)

Web Home Page

Home FTP Site

15-Apr-96

ircle, an IRC client, is currently at version 2.5 with betas of 3.0 available. Definitely worth a look if you use IRC from a Macintosh.

Download ircle (445K)

Web Home Page

17-Jan-96

NCSA has announced that it is ceasing development on NCSA Telnet, the most common free Telnet client for the Mac. Because of that, I'm uploading to the latest beta, 2.7b4, since that will be the last version available unless someone else takes up development on it. The list of enhancements in 2.7b4 over 2.6 is long, though, and includes such useful features as drag-and-drop support, support for the command-click method of resolving URLs, Internet Config support, new VT220 emulation code, and finally a new version that's a fat binary for Power Mac users. Recommended if you use NCSA Telnet.

Download Telnet (185K)

Download Telnet (Fat Binary for Power Mac - 335K)

Home FTP Site

04-Dec-95

The Internet Gopher Team at the University of Minnesota released TurboGopher 2.0.3, which fixes a bug with the Get URL event. TurboGopher is now compatible with Open Transport and allows you to paste URLs into any list window.

Download TurboGopher (308K)

Home Gopher Site

Home FTP Site

09-Sep-95

I've added uuUndo, a utility for decoding uuencoded files to the set of bookmarks. NewsWatcher uses uuUndo as a helper application for decoding files posted to the binaries newsgroups.

Download uuUndo (59K)

14-Jul-95

Peter Speck released version 2.0.4 of his popular newsreader, Nuntius. Nuntius can display URLs and use helper applications to resolve them with a single click. Nuntius is also a fat binary, for improved Power Mac performance. A few minor bugs were fixed in this release.

Download Nuntius (1005K)

Web Home Page

19-Jan-95

Aaron Giles released JPEGView 3.3.1, changing merely his address in the documentation. Don't bother downloading this update unless you wish to send Aaron a postcard.

Download JPEGView (772K)

22-Nov-94

Apple Computer released an updater for MacTCP 2.0.2 and 2.0.4 that updates a clean copy of MacTCP 2.0.2 or 2.0.4 (one that has never been used) to MacTCP 2.0.6 (version 2.0.5 was only an internal Apple release). For the most part, the bugs fixed seem relatively technical and probably didn't affect too many users. However, there are some performance enhancements, and I recommend getting this latest version. The archive with this bookmark also includes updaters for AdminTCP, which you need not worry about unless you are a network administrator using AdminTCP. Please, only attempt to update a clean copy from your master disk - the updater will not work on copies that you have previously configured.

I've created a new bookmark for the MacTCP updater that's available if you use "Get Updated Essential Bookmarks."

Here are the steps you take to update a copy of MacTCP from the disk that comes with the second edition of Internet Starter Kit for Macintosh.

1. Reboot your Mac with the Shift key held down to prevent extensions from loading.

2. Move the copy of MacTCP that's currently in your Control Panels folder to the desktop (since the ISKM Installer will not replace an existing copy of MacTCP or any other file).

3. Run the ISKM Installer from the Internet Starter Kit disk, and when you reach the main screen, click on the Custom button.

4. From the scrolling list, choose the "MacTCP Only" install option.

5. The ISKM Installer forces you to reboot the Mac after installing. During that reboot, hold down the Shift key to prevent extensions from loading, since if they do, MacTCP will configure itself, and the updater won't work. If you fail to hold down the Shift key during this first reboot, start again at the top of these instructions.

6. Once the Mac has rebooted without extensions, run the MacTCP updater on the copy of MacTCP that is in your Control Panels folder. This should work fine, since it's a clean copy that's never been touched.

7. Then you can throw out the copy on your desktop, assuming everything's worked fine.

Download MacTCP 2.0.6 Updater (104K)

Home FTP Site

21-Oct-94

Peter Lewis released version 1.5.0 of Finger, his simple Finger utility. Additions include AppleScript recording support, support for AURL documents (so you can save a document and launch it to finger someone), and the removal of Fingerd, the daemon that enabled someone to finger you. Use Peter's Daemon program instead.

Download Finger (92K)

Web Home Page

Home FTP Site