Free Classic MacOS software developed by Rainer Petschick

MacDiff.....................SediTools...................LogGenerator......................QuickTrace

Since the last update of MacDiffs free classic software as provided on this page several years passed. The development of the software was discontinued since 2001 after appearence of Mac OS X. The programming tool as used to develope the software, VIP BASIC (Mainstay), was already retired during millenium. Unfortunately, their is no simple way for translation of the source codes, particularly of MacDiff's more than 60.000 code instructions, to switch to a modern OS X savvy programming language having little available free time. Thus, all of the last years there are low activities from my side, although as I know there a couple of users who has gladly to operate with MacDiff (here I would like to thank to all faithful users of MacDiff and the other tools).

Until 2009, myself I operated with the unchanged code on a G4 in the Classic environment of Mac OS 10.4. After exchange to a new iMac 24" having MacOS X Snow Leopard, or later Lion all Classic support was terminated. But a valuable way to a further use of MacDiff software have been found, an open source project named SheepShaver, who emulates a PowerMac as a Virtual Machine using Classic Mac OS's between 7.5.2 to 9.0.4. SheepShaver is available in a 2014 build for MacOS X and Windows versions. For installing it, you need an old Mac OS ROM file and an installed Classic system as available on older PowerMacs. For Windows installation you need additionally to install SDL 1.2 Libraries and a GTK +2 Runtime modul. The old Mac OS, the programs and document files are installed in a virtual disk (a document file in Mac OS X). Your data and graphics can be exchange using one shared folder of your OS as installed in the Virtual Machine. The SheepShaver virtual machine is working fine through all newer MacOS X versions, from 10.6 to 10.12 (Sierra, newer versions are not tested).

MacDiff in the Sheepshaver emulation in MacOS X.

MacDiff works fast and fine with the following adjustments of the Virtual Machine settings of SheepShaver: On Mac OS X, use at least 128 MB (virtual) RAM, Windows refresh rate should be "Dynamic", enable QuickDraw Acceleration and check "Ignore illegal instructions" and "Ignore Illegal Memory Access".

Please let me know if you have problems with the installation of the virtual machine and with my software.

If you have a G4 Mac or some older one, you can work in the classic environment of OS X with my software (version 10.4.9 as latest OS X), or with bootable MacOS 7.1.2 to 9.x.

__________________MacDiff________________

The user-friendly X-ray powder diffractometry analysis tool for Classic Macintosh computers.

current version: 4.2.6 (onlys minor changes to 4.2.5 - February 19, 2010)

MacDiff Info pages: Download Links:

________________SediTools________________

A collection of tools not only for sedimentologists for Classic Macintosh:

  • Geological Time Table
  • Two Stoke's law calculators
  • 2-Theta - d-value converter
  • Time-Temperature-Index calculator
  • Log Generator (also available as single application)

Current version: 1.1.3 (1998)

SediTools Info page:

Download Links:

(self extraction applications on a Classic Mac OS)


_____________Log Generator_______________

A tool used to construct log graphics on the Classic Macintosh.

Current version: 1.1.3 (1998)

Log Generator Info pages:

Download Links:

(self extraction applications on a Classic Mac OS)


________________QuickTrace_______________

Digitize source data from cartesian, ternary, or polar plots on the Classic Macintosh.

Current version: 1.3.0 (December 21, 2000)

QuickTrace Info pages:

Download Links:

(please install using Stuffit Expander on a Classic Mac OS))