System Folder

From WikiMac, Everyone's Mac Knowledgebase

• This article is the main article for a category of the same name: See also: Category:System Folder.
• This article is about the System Folder prior to Mac OS X. For the Mac OS X folder, see System folder.

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The System Folder is a folder which acts as a centralised repository for all items related to the Macintosh system (Mac OS). It continues in existance as of Mac OS X, but has been renamed System (no more "folder" at the end of the name). While Copland was still on the drawing board, a proposal was to rename it Mac OS Folder.

Contents 1 System 1 2 System 7 3 System 7.1 4 System 7.5 5 Mac OS 8 6 Mac OS 8.5 7 Mac OS 9 8 Mac OS X

[edit] System 1

As of System 1 and until the last version of System 6, there was virtually no order within the System Folder. Everything (with very few exceptions) got placed loose on the root level of the System Folder.

System 1 started out with only 6 items:

• Finder
• System
• Imagewriter
• Clipboard File
• Scrapbook File
• Note Pad File

[edit] System 7

In System 7, some long-awaited organisation finally took place. The following folders were created inside the System Folder:

• Apple Menu Items folder
• Control Panels folder
• Extensions folder
• Preferences folder
• PrintMonitor Documents
• Startup Items

[edit] System 7.1

System 7.1 added the Fonts folder into the System Folder.

[edit] System 7.5

System 7.5 added yet another boatload of folders into the System Folder:

• Control Panels (disabled) folder
• Control Strip Modules folder
• Extensions (disabled) folder
• Launcher Items folder
• Shutdown Items folder
• Speakable Items folder

[edit] Mac OS 8

In Mac OS 8, the Contextual Menu Items folder, along with contextual menus, debuted on the Mac OS.

[edit] Mac OS 8.5

The following were added by Mac OS 8.5:

• Appearance folder
• Favourites folder
• Help folder
• Internet Search Sites folder
• Scripts folder

[edit] Mac OS 9

Mac OS 9 added these folders into the System Folder:

• Language & Region Support folder
• Scripting Additions folder
• Text Encodings folder

[edit] Mac OS X

• Main article: System folder

Mac OS X reformatted the System folder, UNIX-style, and blocked anyone from modifying it the way they could under the Classic Mac OS. The folder was also renamed System instead of System Folder. Everything was stored inside a Library folder inside the System folder.