On March 14, Apple officially released System 7.5 Update 1.0, a four-disk set of enhancements and bug fixes for Macintoshes running System 7.5. MacSense takes a brief first look at Update 1.0, its components, and how to get it.

 
System 7.5 Update 1.0 updates any Macintosh running System 7.5 to System 7.5.1. In addition to numerous bug fixes, Update 1.0 includes a plethora of enhancements and tweaks to existing system components. Of these enhancements, the following stand out as the most significant:

       A new startup screen: The most observable example of Update 1.0’s presence is
          the new graphic displayed during your Mac’s startup sequence. As seen above, 
          Mac users are now greeted with the smiling MacOS logo while their extensions 
          load.

       AppleGuide: The updated version of AppleGuide is PowerPC native and conse- 
          quently operates much faster on Power Macintoshes than its predecessor. 

       QuickDraw on Power Macintoshes: Native QuickDraw has had a tune-up, 
          allowing for a number of faster screen operations.

       Shutdown from the keyboard: All Macintoshes with attached ABD keyboards 
          can now be shut down from the keyboard’s reset key. 

       File Sharing: The latest version of the File Sharing Extension significantly 
          improves overall performance. Additionally, when file sharing is turned on, all 
          inserted CD-ROMs (except audio CDs) and removable hard drives will auto- 
          matically be shared. Such inserted media can also be ejected without having to 
          turn off file sharing.

       Math Functions Library (MathLib): The Math Functions Library has been
          significantly enhanced, delivering much better FPU performance to Power 
          Macintoshes. Please see "Update 1.0 Speeds PowerPC Math" in the News 
          Chapter.

 
System 7.5 Update 1.0 ships with the following components:

       System 7.5 Update 1.0 Enabler 1.0.2    
       Finder 7.5.1 and Finder Update 1.1         
       SimpleText 1.2

       PowerTalk Updates                                 Apple Menu Items
            Mailbox Extension 1.1.1                        Find File 1.1.1
            Catalogs Extension 1.1.1                        Jigsaw Puzzle 1.0.1
            Apple Mail 1.1.2                                     Stickies 1.0.1
            Digisign Utility 1.1.1                             Shutdown 1.1

       Control Panels                                        Extensions
           Apple Menu Options 1.0.1                       AppleGuide 1.2.5
           General Controls 7.5.3                            Color SW Pro 1.5.2
           Keyboard 7.5.1                                        Direct Dialup 1.1.1
           Launcher 2.7                                           File Sharing Extension 7.6.1
           MacTCP 2.0.6                                          LaserWriter 8.2
           Macintosh Easy Open 1.1.1                     MathLib 2.0.1
           Monitors 7.5.1                                        SCSI Manager 4.3.1
           PC Exchange 2.0.3                                   Speech Manager 1.3
           PC Setup 1.0.2                                         Threads Lib 2.1
           WindowShade 1.3.1

       AppleScript Scripts
           Synchronize Folders Update
           Share a Folder
           Share a Folder (no Guest)

 
If you're a Power Macintosh user running System 7.5 and you routinely use math-intensive applications and/or AppleGuide, System 7.5 Update 1.0 is a must. Additionally, Update 1.0's improved file sharing make it a necessity for any Mac user who routinely uses peer-to-peer file sharing. 

Even if you're using a non-PowerPC Macintosh and do not have any use for file sharing, we still recommend you install the update — the sheer number of bug fixes make System 7.5 Update 1.0 a must for all System 7.5 users. Consider Update 1.0 a driver’s airbag…you might never need it, but you’ll feel much better with it installed.

 
System 7.5 Update 1.0 is free, and is available from many online services. Unfortu- nately, it is a four-disk set (totalling 3.7 MBs compressed) and will require a great deal of time to download. If you do not have access to an online service or do not want to incur charges for a lengthy download, you should be able to obtain System 7.5 Update 1.0 from local area Macintosh User Groups and authorized Apple Resellers. Users can also obtain updates in the US. by calling Apple directly at (800) 769-2775, ext. 5794. In Canada, users can call Apple at (800) 263-3394.

System 7.5 Update 1.0 can be found at the following paths/online services:

eWorld: Computer Center/Apple Customer Assistance Center/Apple Software Updates
America Online: Computing/Hardware/Operating Systems/New Files&Free Uploading
CompuServe: Go: APLNEW
World Wide Web: www.apple.support.com
FTP/Gohper: ftp.support.apple.com

If you do download Update 1.0, please make sure you have DiskCopy 4.2 (or later) and four spare high-density disks. The update ships as four disk images, and you must transfer the images to disk before you can install Update 1.0.