Mac OS 9
With every major Mac OS release, it is claimed to be bigger, better, easier, and more powerful than ever before. This is often true. But what about Mac OS 9? It sounds like a definite upgrade for those wanting the most power, especially with the internet. Let's look at some examples:
- Sherlock 2
- Multiple Users
- Voiceprint Password
- Keychain Support
- Auto Updating
- Encryption
- File Sharing via Internet
- AppleScript via TCP/IP
- Network Browser
Sherlock 2 should be quite helpful with the ability to shop online sites, among other things. If you have a handful of people using the same machine, it is much better to keep everyone's preferences separate. Finally a more personalized and toned experience when logged in. The keychain support is back again, and you don't have to remember all your passwords to every site on this planet. Is this always a good thing though? It's similar to the fact that some people can't remember their home telephone number. They never need to call home, so why should they remember it? Well, you won't have to type your passwords, so how are you expected to remember it if you are on a different machine? The auto updating will allow your machine to check for updates, and you may not even need to know about them. It will be all taken care of. There are many more features too that will make Mac OS 9 a better experience.
However, there is a main concern that I do want to address. It is the support for voiceprint passwords. In reality, everybody has a different voice. The ability for a computer to interpret this sounds great, right? Well, not quite. What if you have a cold or sore throat? Your voiceprint should be the same, but will Mac OS 9 be able to recognize it? You could just type in your password though. How about if two people, say from the same family, try to fake each other's voiceprint? Will Mac OS 9 be able to distinguish between them? Finally, this whole voiceprint idea reminds me of a movie I once saw, I believe it was called Sneakers. Some people wanted to get into a room that was blocked by numerous security features, one of which was voiceprint authentication. Unable to fake the voice of the one and only authorized person, they had an idea. Why not simply record the voice of the authorized person? You can use a digital recorder and piece the words together into a phrase. Then take this phrase and play it into the voiceprint machine. Of course, in Hollywood this worked. Why wouldn't it work on Mac OS 9's voiceprint system? I'm not teaching you to hack someone's login though. I am presenting a security issue that I think you should be aware of. Think how much we trust our Mac's security. Also, anyone trying to fake the voiceprint would have to have physical access to the machine. This is just something you can think over.
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