From MacSketch to MacPaint

[slomacuser]

Just posted an article on LEM - From MacSketch to MacPaint

When the Apple Macintosh debuted in January 1984, it revolutionized personal computing with its intuitive graphical user interface and accessible creative tools. Among these, MacPaint stood out as a groundbreaking raster graphics editor.

Early MacSketch

QuickDraw’s speed and versatility made it the perfect engine for a new drawing application. Atkinson began adapting SketchPad for the Macintosh in early 1983, initially calling it MacSketch. This early version retained some of SketchPad’s menu-driven interface but was tailored to the Macintosh’s constrained hardware, requiring tight, efficient code to deliver a seamless user experience.

VIDEO of MacSketch to MacPaint evolution

 

[JDW]

Thank you for the short video demo!

Sure, glad they improved those pointy index finger to icons. The upper left corner pixel in the capital letter “A” in the AIDS menu is interesting, and I see why they improved that font with smoothing.

Interesting to see how “Mix“ load to San Francisco “Cursive“ lead to Venice.

Finger positions are typical for Jobs in that one pixelated photo…



Compare with…



The hands started pointing up more over time...

Not sure if it was done deliberately or out of habit. Maybe deliberately at first which then became habit. Anyway, it is taught now...

SOURCE

 

[JDW]

For those of you who don't already know, @slomacuser did a fantastic write-up on LEM here:

From MacSketch to MacPaint - Low End Mac

When the Apple Macintosh debuted in January 1984, it revolutionized personal computing with its intuitive graphical user interface and accessible creative tools. Among these, MacPaint stood out as a groundbreaking raster graphics editor. It empowered users to create digital art with...

lowendmac.com

It's an absolute must-read. No ChatGPT summaries! It's worth your time to read in full.

Thank you for spending so much time to bring us that great info, Janez! You're a true gem in the vintage Mac community!

 

[slomacuser]

Today I have added some updates as follow:

- Mr. Macintosh drawn on early MacSketch Demo application

- Some new icons found in MacPaint mockup (bucket)

- mockup macpaint files

- Macpaint version 0.95

- and NEW video with narration by @Ron's Computer Videos

 

[JDW]

Nice video overview. The narration adds something very nice to it.

One interesting thing I spotted in that video was the Welcome To Maintosh splash screen from 1983 that talks about System file version 4.2!

The Public version of System file 4.2 was released in October 1987 and obviously not the same software:

System 4.2

System 4.2, was released as part of System Software 5.0 (not to be confused with System 5, which never really existed), alongside Finder 6.0. It met the Macintosh public in October 1987. Apple started to use "System Software" version numbering with this release of the Macintosh system software...

apple.fandom.com

It's just interesting how the version numbering was used prior to the official release of the Mac.

 

[slomacuser]

One interesting thing I spotted in that video was the Welcome To Maintosh splash screen from 1983 that talks about System file version 4.2!

The Public version of System file 4.2 was released in October 1987 and obviously not the same software:

Take a look of this version number list:

25-Jul-82 Finder 2.0 (Floppy look a like)

20-Apr-83 ROM 3.0

30-Apr-83 Disk with System 3.0

3-Jun-83 ROM 4.0

8-Jul-83 Finder 1.2, System 4.2 (Macintosh Finder Demo)
8-Aug-83 Finder 1.6, System 4.2 (MacPaint 0.6 )
15-Aug-83 Finder 1.7, System 4.2 (MacAuthor 0.91)

Sept-83 Final ROM burn

5-Jul-83 Finder 4.4 (Floppy look a like), System 6.9 (Sony Test Disk)
4-Oct-83 Finder 1.8, System 7.0 (Sony Test Disk)
7-Dec-83 Finder 1.0, System 0.85 (Mac Guided Tour)

14-Jan-84 Finder 1.0, System 0.97
24-Apr-84 Finder 1.1g, System 1.1

8-Apr-85 Finder 4.1, System 2.0

etc ...

 

[JDW]

Right. A real mess of version numbers!

 

[fehervaria]

Right. A real mess of version numbers!

The only way I can understand this, is the very early version numbers counted from the beginning of the development phases, like "25-Jul-82 Finder 2.0 (Floppy look a like)" - could be the second "stable" build.
Later, when the Macintosh was planned to be introduced to public, they "reset" the version numbering system. It shows "7-Dec-83 Finder 1.0, System 0.85 (Mac Guided Tour" because the Finder was "ready to be published" but the System software needed more bug fix, feature implementation finishing. They planned to have it ready till January 24, 1984, that's why can be the 14th January version 0.97... it was "almost" the System 1.0.

But all of this is my Saturday-morning speculation.