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MacinAI Version 2.0 - Private Beta Testing Guide

Published: November 24, 2025

Welcome to the MacinAI Version 2.0 Private Beta!

Thank you for helping test MacinAI Version 2.0 - a major update bringing professional polish, improved reliability, AI system actions, and enhanced user experience to AI chat on vintage Macintosh systems.

What's New in Version 2.0?

MacinAI 2.0 is a major update with significant improvements across the board.

UI Redesign

Enhanced Toolbar Interface

Enhanced Status Feedback

AI System Actions (NEW!)

AI Can Now Control Your Mac

System Indexing Required

How It Works

Try asking: "Open SimpleText", "What apps do I have installed?", "Show me my memory settings", "Launch Netscape Navigator"

Major Bug Fixes

Zero Screen Blanking (FIXED? [tested in 9.2.2])

Rendering Improvements

Complete Edit Menu Support

Full Clipboard Integration

Smart Menu States

Enhanced Conversation Management

Server-Side Conversation History (NEW!)

Real-Time Sidebar Updates

Improved File Operations

Smarter Connection Handling

Accurate Status Tracking

Planned for Beta 2.1

The following features are NOT yet implemented in Beta 2.0 but are planned for Beta 2.1:

System Requirements

Installation

  1. Download MacinAI Version 2.0 beta from the provided link (password is AI0nM@c)
  2. Extract to your hard drive (Applications folder recommended)
  3. Double-click MacinAI to launch

First Launch:

Upgrading from Beta 1:

Getting Started

Step 1: Launch MacinAI

On launch, you'll see the splash screen with MacinAI branding and a connection test. The app will verify it can reach the server before proceeding to the main chat interface.

Step 2: Enable AI System Control (Optional but Recommended)

To use the new AI System Actions features:

  1. Click the + (Settings) button
  2. Look for "AI System Control" section
  3. Click "Enable" button
  4. Read the warning dialog carefully and click OK
  5. MacinAI will scan your system (watch the progress bar)
  6. When prompted to select upload level, choose "System Info + App List"
  7. Wait for catalog to upload to server
  8. You'll see "Status: Indexed" when complete

After indexing, try asking the AI things like:

Step 3: Start Chatting!

You'll see the main chat interface:

Interface Overview

Toolbar (Top)

Sidebar (Left)

Main Area

Status Bar (Bottom)

What to Test

[NEW IN 2.0] AI System Actions Testing (HIGH PRIORITY)

Initial Setup

Application Launching

Control Panel Access

System Queries

Power Management

Alert Dialogs

[NEW IN 2.0] UI/UX Testing (HIGH PRIORITY)

Toolbar & Icons

Status Bar

Thinking Indicator

Screen Rendering (CRITICAL - Should be FIXED!)

Core Functionality & Features

Edge Cases & Stress Testing

Known Limitations

  1. DNS Lookups: May take 5-10 seconds on vintage hardware (synchronous)
  2. No Message Editing: Can't edit sent messages (by design)
  3. No Search: No built-in conversation search yet (planned for Beta 2.1)
  4. ASCII Text: Best results with standard ASCII text
  5. ChatGPT Only: Other AI models not yet implemented (planned for Beta 2.1)
  6. No Undo: Edit menu Undo is disabled (planned for future)
  7. No Streaming: Responses appear all at once (not character-by-character)
  8. Full Index Not Implemented: Only "System Info + App List" works for indexing
  9. Limited System Actions: Advanced file operations not yet implemented (planned for Beta 2.1)

How to Report Issues

When you encounter a problem, please note:

  1. What you were doing - Step-by-step actions
  2. What happened - Exact error message or behavior
  3. What you expected - What should have happened
  4. Your system - Mac model, System version, memory
  5. Can you reproduce it? - Does it happen every time?

Reporting Methods:

Real Bugs to Report:

Tips for Beta Testing

Good Bug Reports Include:

Less Helpful Reports:

Best Practices:

Performance Notes

Expected Behavior:

If things feel slow:

Privacy & Data

What MacinAI Stores Locally:

What Gets Sent to Server:

What the System Catalog Contains:

What Does NOT Leave Your Mac:

Troubleshooting

"Connection Failed" Error

  1. Check server address in Settings
  2. Verify network connectivity (can you browse the web?)
  3. Confirm TCP/IP control panel has DNS servers configured
  4. Confirm server is running (contact the developer)
  5. Try using IP address instead of hostname to bypass DNS

"Authentication Failed" or Similar Errors

  1. Verify server address is correct in Settings
  2. Check that server is running (contact the developer)
  3. Try Test Connection in Settings dialog
  4. Verify network connectivity

Conversation Won't Load

  1. Check file hasn't been moved or deleted
  2. Try File → Open and browse to the file
  3. Verify file isn't corrupted (open in text editor - should show "MacinAI - " header)
  4. Check file has proper .oas extension

App Freezes During Connection Test

  1. This is normal on vintage hardware - DNS lookups take 5-10 seconds
  2. Try using IP address instead of hostname in Settings
  3. Ensure DNS servers configured in TCP/IP control panel
  4. Wait patiently - it will complete or timeout

System Indexing Fails

  1. Verify you have enough free RAM (8 MB recommended)
  2. Close other applications before indexing
  3. Try again - first attempt sometimes fails on vintage hardware
  4. Check network connection (catalog upload requires server)
  5. Verify you selected "System Info + App List" (NOT "Full Index")

AI Can't Launch Apps

  1. Verify AI System Control is enabled in Settings
  2. Check "Status: Indexed" appears in Settings
  3. Verify you selected "System Info + App List" during indexing
  4. Try asking AI "What apps do I have?" to verify catalog uploaded
  5. Check exact app name (e.g., "SimpleText" not "Simple Text")

Icons Don't Display Correctly

  1. Icons should adapt to your display automatically
  2. On B&W displays, icons appear as black & white versions
  3. On 16-color displays, icons use 16-color palette
  4. On 256-color displays, icons use full 256-color palette
  5. If icons appear as white boxes, this is a bug - please report!

[NEW] Status Bar Not Visible

  1. This should be FIXED in Version 2.0
  2. If status bar disappears, this is a critical bug - please report!
  3. Try resizing window slightly
  4. Report exact steps that caused it to disappear

[NEW] Screen Blanking/Flickering

  1. This should be FIXED in Version 2.0
  2. If you see ANY screen blanking, this is a critical bug - please report!
  3. Note exactly when it happens (scroll? type? cursor move?)
  4. Test if it happens consistently or randomly

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which AI model does MacinAI use?
A: Currently ChatGPT (GPT-4o-mini). Claude, Gemini, and Grok are planned for Beta 2.1.

Q: Will Beta 2 read my old conversations from Beta 1?
A: Yes! Beta 2 is fully backwards compatible. All your old .oas files will load correctly.

Q: Is AI System Control safe?
A: Yes. AI can only perform actions you could do yourself (launch apps, open settings, etc.). All power management actions (shutdown/restart) require confirmation dialogs. The AI cannot delete files, modify system files, or access sensitive data in Beta 2.0.

Q: What does the system catalog contain?
A: Just a list of your apps, control panels, volumes, and basic system info (RAM, System version). It does NOT contain file contents, personal documents, or passwords.

Q: Why must I select "System Info + App List"?
A: The "Full Index" option is not yet implemented in Beta 2.0. Only "System Info + App List" works currently. "Full Index" is planned for Beta 2.1.

Q: Can I disable AI System Control later?
A: Yes. Go to Settings and click "Disable" button. Your system catalog will be deleted from the server.

Q: Is there a message limit?
A: No message limits during the beta testing period!

Q: Can I export conversations to text?
A: Yes! .oas files are plain text. Open with any text editor.

Q: Does MacinAI work offline?
A: You can read saved conversations offline (read-only), but can't send new messages or use system actions.

Q: Can I run multiple conversations at once?
A: Yes! Use CMD+N to open additional windows.

Q: Why does the AI sometimes forget things?
A: Each conversation has independent memory. However, in Beta 2, history is stored on the server for better performance, so the AI should remember the entire conversation even after closing MacinAI.

Q: Can I change the font or colors?
A: Not yet. Planned for Beta 2.1.

Q: What's the .oas file format?
A: "Old Apple Stuff" - plain text files with metadata header and conversation content.

Q: Why is connection testing so slow?
A: DNS lookups on vintage Mac OS are synchronous and can take 5-10 seconds. This is normal.

Q: Does the thinking indicator slow down the Mac?
A: No. The animation uses idle events and is very lightweight (updates every 500ms).

Q: What's the most important thing to test in Beta 2?
A: Three things: (1) Screen rendering - should have ZERO blanking, (2) AI System Actions - test launching apps and querying system, (3) Icons - verify they look good on your display.

Beta Testing Priorities

Critical Priority (Test First!)

  1. AI System Actions - Test launching apps, opening control panels, querying system
  2. System indexing - Complete indexing process and verify catalog uploads
  3. Screen rendering - Verify NO blanking during scroll/type/cursor
  4. Connection status - Verify accurate color-coded feedback
  5. Thinking indicator - Verify animation and elapsed time work
  6. Icons - Test on different color depths (B&W, 16-color, 256-color)

High Priority Testing

  1. System 7.5.3 compatibility - Primary target system
  2. Server-side history - Verify context preserved across sessions
  3. Connection reliability - Server communication
  4. File save/load - Conversation management
  5. Memory leaks - Long-running stability with system actions
  6. Edit menu - Copy/paste/cut operations

Medium Priority Testing

  1. Mac OS 9 compatibility - Secondary target system
  2. Multiple window support - CMD+N functionality
  3. Clipboard integration - Copy/paste across apps
  4. Large conversations - 100+ message performance
  5. Network error handling - Disconnection scenarios
  6. System action error handling - Apps not found, etc.

Low Priority Testing

  1. Edge cases - Unusual input/behavior
  2. Visual polish - Minor UI details
  3. Keyboard shortcuts - All combinations
  4. Settings persistence - Rare configuration edge cases

Contact & Support

Developer Contact: alex@oldapplestuff.com

Credits

Icon Design: Janez J. Starc

Development: Alex Hoopes

Testing Community: Old Apple Stuff Beta Testers

Thank You!

Your testing helps make MacinAI better for the entire vintage Mac community. Every bug report, suggestion, and piece of feedback contributes to creating the best possible AI chat experience for classic Macintosh systems.

Version 2.0 represents around a month of solid work - enhanced UI with professional icons by Janez J. Starc, major bug fixes, AI System Actions, and professional polish. Your thorough testing ensures this release lives up to that effort.

Happy testing!

- Alex Hoopes

Quick Reference Card

VERSION 2.0 HIGHLIGHTS
=======================

UI REDESIGN
- Icon-based toolbar (icons by Janez J. Starc)
- Adaptive icons (B&W/16/256-color)
- Status bar with real-time feedback
- Better spacing and layout

AI SYSTEM ACTIONS (NEW!)
- Launch applications
- Open control panels
- Query system information
- Show alert dialogs
- Power management (restart/shutdown)

SYSTEM INDEXING (NEW!)
- Scan your Mac's apps and system info
- Upload catalog to server
- AI knows your system configuration
- Required: Select "System Info + App List"
- NOT ready: "Full Index" (Beta 2.1)

ZERO SCREEN BLANKING (FIXED!)
- No flicker during scroll
- No flicker during typing
- No flicker during cursor movement
- Smooth rendering everywhere

SMART CONNECTION STATUS
- Color-coded (Green/Yellow/Orange/Red)
- Based on actual server responses
- Updates after every message
- "AI is thinking..." indicator
- Elapsed time for long waits

FULL EDIT MENU
- Copy (CMD+C)
- Paste (CMD+V)
- Cut (CMD+X)
- Select All (CMD+A)
- Clear
- Cross-app clipboard

ENHANCED CONVERSATIONS
- Server-side history (better performance)
- Real-time sidebar sorting
- Save As (export)
- Open with validation
- Multiple windows (CMD+N)

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS
------------------
CMD+N         New conversation
CMD+S         Save conversation
CMD+SHIFT+S   Save As (export)
CMD+O         Open file
CMD+W         Close window
CMD+Q         Quit

CMD+C         Copy
CMD+V         Paste
CMD+X         Cut
CMD+A         Select All

ENTER         Send message
SHIFT+ENTER   New line in input

INTERFACE
---------
Toolbar icons  Three icons at top (icons by Janez J. Starc)
               Adapt to B&W, 16-color, or 256-color
Status bar     Connection + thinking indicator at bottom
Sidebar        Auto-sorted conversations (most recent first)

AI SYSTEM ACTIONS
------------------
"Open SimpleText"           Launch application
"Show TCP/IP settings"      Open control panel
"What apps do I have?"      Query system
"Restart my Mac"            Power management
"What's my RAM?"            System information

SETUP REQUIRED
--------------
1. Settings → Enable AI System Control
2. Watch indexing progress
3. Select "System Info + App List" (required!)
4. Wait for upload to complete
5. Start asking AI to control your Mac!

TIPS
----
- Test AI System Actions thoroughly!
- Try different color depths for icons
- Look for ZERO screen blanking (critical fix!)
- Check color-coded connection status
- Watch "AI is thinking..." animation
- Compare to Beta 1 (what's better?)
- Report any system action failures

MacinAI Beta Testing Guide - Version 2.0
Last Updated: November 2025
Current AI Model: ChatGPT (GPT-4o-mini)
Icon Design & Resource Files: Janez J. Starc

© 2025 Old Apple Stuff

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