Palm software needs 10.5 but Apple repair says I need 10.6 to stay 'supported'

[Maggie]

So my Palm software seems to work fine on the desktop anyway, but when I go to synchronize the handheld Palm with my Mac, I have a 'library sharing error.'

Is there a way to run Mac OS X 10.5 in a partition just to run this one program? I really don't want to switch to new software that looks different, feels different, and integrates functions differently (if at all).

Thanks for any help you can offer

--Maggie

 

[Kaveman]

Yes, you can but that seems like a major effort to solve the problem.

Why hasn't Palm updated their software?

 

[Morhass]

There are a great many Pros to running the most recent version of the Mac OS that your hardware can support. Is running one obsolete software product worth all the Cons of downgrading?

 

[Maggie]

If somebody can give me a calendar program that keeps the font size the same even for a busy day ... and attaches an address to an event with a single click ... and lets me keep a huge number of memos in a format I'm already familiar with ... then I wouldn't be trying to run this obsolete piece of software. At my age it's hard enough to learn one program once, without having to constantly relearn how to do the same stuff a different way every 18 months because some hotshot can't be bothered to keep the GUI the same. Multiply that by 16 programs over 3 platforms ... and I really would like to just get some actual USE out of the technology without having 30% of my time wasted with relearning.

And the reason Palm is not updating their software? They've left the business. Somehow they think we all want to do this on smartphones. But one of the things I LOVE about my Palm is the fact that it's not hackable from outside and nobody phoning me can capture the info that's on it.

So ... how do I get the software to run properly so I can synch the handheld?

 

[Kaveman]

They've left the business.

Is this a sign?

You will have to learn a lot more to keep with this old tech.

1. Make a Partition for the OS X 10.5, Disk Utility
2. Install OS X 10.5 on the Partition, from old DVDs. Don't get this step wrong!
3. Boot into 10.5 and setup a User Account
4. Install the right software for your device
5. Use System Preferences > Startup Disk to switch back and forth

 

[Maggie]

I might be toast before I even start. This computer came with 10.5.8 already installed; I don't have any DVDs. It only got 10.6 a few weeks ago after a harddrive replacement; I don't have any DVDs of that one either.

If I can't set up a partition without the DVDs, can you recommend an alternative?

 

[Kaveman]

You'll need to buy them for Apple, I think they sell them for the price of the disks.

 

[Morhass]

"If somebody can give me a calendar program that... "
I love that you have a really clear idea of what you need in a calendar program. I wonder, though, have you taken the time to tell anybody who can do something about it??? Even Apple aren't mind-readers!
Go to http://www.apple.com/feedback/ical.html and tell them what you need it to do!

BTW, if your computer shipped with 10.5 installed, it would have shipped with discs!