The only change since introduction is that most developers have provided an
update to their software or have begun using Apple's MIDI Manager, or both.
There are two support issues to be aware of when using an older version of MIDI
Manager (1.1) and the Macintosh Portable. Both issues relate to the
implementation of the serial ports of the Macintosh Portable.
1) Version 1.1 of the MIDI Management Tools does not support the
Macintosh Portable.
MIDI Management Tools version 1.1 required changes to work correctly with the
serial ports of the Macintosh Portable. These changes were implemented in
version 1.2 of the MIDI Management Tools.
2) Some older versions of third party MIDI applications will have difficulty
with the Macintosh Portable.
Until the introduction of Apple's MIDI Manager, all MIDI software had to write
to the serial port hardware directly, bypassing the Macintosh Toolbox, to
obtain acceptable performance. Writing to the hardware is not an ideal
procedure for developers; Apple changes things about the hardware from one
Macintosh model to the next. This forced MIDI software developers to revise
their programs every time a new Macintosh model was introduced.
With the changes in design of the Macintosh Portable, these direct hardware
calls and Toolbox workarounds no longer perform as they would on earlier models
of Macintosh. Fortunately, Apple resolved this issue by providing the MIDI
Manager. If developers use the MIDI Manager, they will not need to revise their
programs as a result of any serial port changes in future computers. MIDI
Manager will be revised as needed to deal with changes in serial ports. With
MIDI Manager 1.2 or later, applications supporting MIDI Management Tools work
correctly on the Macintosh Portable.
Make sure to use the most current version of the MIDI Manager to ensure that a
program will communicate successfully with the serial port, regardless of
Macintosh model.