Here's some randomness. I had to do some testing with Safari 1.2, which is apparently only available on Mac OS X 10.3. Version 10.2 has Safari 1.0. Why I need to upgrade the OS to get a new browser, I don't know.
So, here's what went down.
- Boot up iMac that has OS X 10.2
- Put in OS X 10.3 disk
- I'm informed that I need to "update my firmware" and I should visit http://www.apple.com/support/downloads. I'm unable to continue and install OS X 10.3
- I go to the Apple site and search for "imac firmware"
- I'm greeted with KB articles from 1999. Apparently "relevance" is low on the priority list there.
- I finally find some firmware from 2001 and download it.
- When I run the firmware updater, I'm told it will only run on OS 9. Lovely.
- I find a copy of OS 9 and install it side-by-side. (What if I DIDN'T have it around?)
- I go to System Preferences|Startup Disk and tell it to dual boot into OS 9.
- I boot up, download the firmware again.
- I run it, and I'm told that I have to reboot AND I have to find a secret recessed button on the iMacs ass and push it in with a pen. Stunning.
- I reboot, push the funny button. The iMac screams in pain. It then sits for a minute doing nothing.
- It restarts, again into OS 9 and tells me that it's flashed the firmware successfully.
- Now, I'm just tired. I can't figure out how to get back into OS X 10.2...
- I boot off the OS X 10.3 disk and just format the hard drive completely with the new OS X 10.3.
All this to update Safari on a 2-year-old iMac.
Anyone who says it's all peaches and cream in the Mac world is nuts.