DragThing 4 from TLA Systems will be released on March 22, just two days before Mac OS X goes on sale. The new version requires Mac OS 8.6 or later with CarbonLib 1.2 installed — or the final release of Mac OS X.
The English language version of “the original dock designed to tidy up your Macintosh desktop” will be released first, followed by Japanese, German and French, and the other languages soon afterwards.
Aside from support for Mac OS X and Carbon, DragThing 4 features a completely rewritten Aqua-ready user interface with new Preferences and Options windows. It sports multiple levels of undo for many actions; support for true 128×128 icons (even on OS 9); and support for tool tips to show the dock item names. DragThing 4 also has a new feature to repair all missing dock items in one go. Plus, there are many new Dock appearance options, including greater font and style control.
“DragThing 4 represents the biggest change to DragThing since the original shareware release over four years ago,” according to James Thomson of TLA Systems. “This new version will cost US$25, and $10 to upgrade from previous versions. This is the first time I’ve charged for an upgrade since the original release back in 1997, but since it represents over a year of my work. The upgrade fee will allow me to keep developing future versions of DragThing.”
The latest version of DragThing is 2.9, which was released on June 22. Everybody who registers DragThing 2.9 for $20 in the month before release will get a free upgrade to DragThing 4. Thomson will send out new serial numbers.
Thomson now works full time writing Mac software for his company, TLA Systems, which employs both he and his wife, Saskia. By upgrading or registering DragThing and PCalc you’re helping support a small independent company that makes Mac-only software.
PCalc is a fully featured scientific calculator with support for hexadecimal and binary calculations. It works on Mac OS 8 and later, including Mac OS X. Version 2.2 also introduces a Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) mode.
“Help us to keep doing it, and we’ll write the best software we can in return,” Thomson said.
More info and screenshots will be available at the DragThing Web site.