MSN Running on Mac OS 8.1 PPC

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MSN Running on Mac OS 8.1 PPC

I'm not ure if many here use MSN Messenger, but most know Microsoft abandoned support for Mac OS 8.1, and now you need Mac OS 9.2.2 or OS X to ruMSN, unless you use Mac Messenger 3 which still requires at least Mac OS 8.6 and is still quite crash prone.

I downloaded AMSN from Sourceforge.net which is written in Tcl/Tk, and a complete 8.4.2 Interpreter is available for PPC Mac OS. On my Performa 6300, MSN takes aprox. 1 minute or so to load up, but after it's loaded it's reasonably useable nd I can still run other apps in the background such as MP3, Outlook, CyberDog and more. It's very stable and even when an error occurs the application doesn't quit but gives you the option to silently ignore all errors and just continue anyway.

All in all it is a great program. It's possible it might also run on 68K's as I have not able to use SSL, but managed to connect by disabling it. There are 68K versions of the Tcl/Tk interpreters, but I did not check to see if it is at least Version 8.3 or later, as that is the version of Tcl/Tk that AMSN needs. It might also work on system 7.5.3/7.6.1 and from what I can see, I made a standalone application so no extra installations are required.

If anyone wants the Disk Image I created with the standalone application to test out, let me know and I will arrange to have it hosted. Mainly this is for fun as it's fun to see MSN running on 8.1 and perhaps even some PowerBook users will benefit from this software.

`Remiel

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Last seen: 16 years 10 months ago
Joined: Jul 24 2004 - 00:37
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standalone, eh?

I did this as well a long while back, but when MSN set those SSL requirements, I haven't been able to get that tls module working.

I gather you got the SSL working on PPC, so I'd be interested in the plugin your using to make it work, or the disk image, if it's not too large and feasible to host somewhere.

It's annoying how many people use MSN and expect me to keep up with them, when I just wanna chill out on my ol' 8.1 Mac.

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Joined: Oct 25 2004 - 22:52
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amsn for mac os 8.1

Hi Remiel:

I am new to MACs and I have a g3 powerbook that a friend gave me. I am using it for general stuff, but I'd like to put amsn on there. I am totally lost by tcl/tk and I can't figure out how to install amsn... do you have any advice for me?

I am running os 8.1. Is there any way you can send me your disk image?

Cheers,

jdbwilkins

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Last seen: 19 years 2 months ago
Joined: Dec 4 2004 - 22:31
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Help!

Hi, I am kind of new here to. Could anyone, if you are not busy maybe send me the disk image to. Will AMSN also work on a PowerBook 190cs running Mac OS 8.1?

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Sorry to all who have been wa

Sorry to all who have been waiting for this image. It's stuck on my Powerbook G3 Lombard and since I don't use it much, I keep forgetting. I will leave myself a reminder to get it. In the meantime, if you are really eager in getting the software up and running, I will compile a list of things I did to get it running. Expect that list up on Monday sometime, as I need to test a few things regarding the application.

Smile

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Hard Drive Failure

Due to hard drive failure, I can`t get the image off the Powerbook. Had enough of Murphy`s law for one day.

Anyways, for those of you who wish to get MSn running, here are my basic steps I performed that last time I did this:

First, go to sourceforge.net and do a search for AMSN, that is the program name you will be using. Download the latest version and uncompress it and then do another search for Tcltk. That is the language AMSN is written in. The last runtime for TckTk for Mac OS Classic was 8.4.x I believe. Now, to get the best results, you most likely will need to get the full 25MB package because you are going to want to compile AMSN into a standalone Mac OS application. If it isn`t compiled, AMSN tends to not work properly.

So, you have downloaded TclTk, unstuffed it, and installed it. (Will take a bit yes)

Inside the main folder of TclTk, there should be an application to create a Wish application. I don`t recall the exact name, but essentially you drop a file onto this application and it creates a full Mac Application.

The file you want to drop on it is inside the AMSN folder you unstuffed. The file you want to use is `amsn`.

Once the application is created, you can start it. When loggin in, check the box `disable ssl` and you should be able to login.

I`m sorry for such bad directions but I don`t have any mac I can test it on. But you should be able to figure it out. Also, be aware the last time I used it it had a few bugs:

- You can`t change skins or do much changing to default options

- If someone messaged you you would never recieve it. If a conversation window was open to them it would tell you they were typing but you still would not get the message. You have to initiate each conversation and window with a contact for it to work.

Hope this helps a bit. If I get the mac back online I`ll work more on it.

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Last seen: 19 years 2 months ago
Joined: Dec 4 2004 - 22:31
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What?

I tried to unstuff the amsn file but I just got a message telling me that I need Stuffit Expander Enhanser, I only have Stuffit Expander.
Do you know where I might that Stuffit expander enhanser file?

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Last seen: 16 years 10 months ago
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Yes, I forgot, Stuffit Expand

Yes, I forgot, Stuffit Expander is quite limited in it's abilities. Stuffit Delux is the one that handles Unix formats such as tar and tgz, but that is commercial software. If you have an e-mail address that can handle a 2-3MB attachment, I can uncompress it and re-compress it using ZIp, which Stuffit should be able to handle.

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Joined: Dec 4 2004 - 22:31
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E-Mail

! I think that my e-mail address can handle it. My E-Mail is MacUser16@msn.com. If you would like free macintosh software go to http://www.pure-mac.com :macos:

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Last seen: 17 years 5 months ago
Joined: Oct 3 2006 - 15:16
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Working on it!!!

Hi, I'm working on the image file, but I need to compile it and I'm not too familiar with tcl/tk language. I think now msn doesn't allow none ssl conecctions so I have to build and install a tsl module.. if any one knows how to compile and install modules in tcl/tk please drop me a line at: septien@hotpop.com
I would appreciate it very much.
Thnxs
Pp

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