Getting more out of your system

Memory limitations
System 6 can't handle more than 8 MB and virtual memory isn't a standard feature. You can deal with this limitiation by using Connextix Optima or Maxima. These programs are very rare nowadays...
Optima is an INIT which allows Macintosh systems to operate in 32-bit mode under System 6. It is not compatible with Multifinder or System 7, and requires 32-bit clean applications. You can download it here
More info on optima can be found on this page
Maxima enables 24 bit acces to 14 mb ram. You can download optima 32 here
Virtual Memory
Guess you thought that was only possible with system 7 higher... You guessed wrong... Download nice virtual memory software here

Some handy tips

Switching to multifinder without restart 
Doubleclick the Multifnder while pressing Option and Command.

Resetting the PRAM
Select the control panel and press Shift-Option-Command-P-R.

Switching back and forth between system 6 and 7.x without desktop rebuilding
Install Desktop Manager Extension.You can download it here.

Using system 7 disks and cd-roms
Install Desktop Manager Extension.You can download it here.

Installing truetype fonts in system 6
You can read all about that in this text

Starting up Classic with system 6.08 on Rom
Command-Option-X-O during startup (with hidden copy of MacsBug).

Change startup disk without restarting
If you hold down Option while openingen an applicatons that's on antoher startup disk you can change to that disk's system folder. The finders on both disks must be the same. You can also press Option-Command while clicking on the Finder Icon of the disk you want to use.

How to operate a floppy driven Mac:
Read all about how to run System 6 (or System 2.01) on a Mac Plus (or for that matter a SE) without an internal or external hard disk here

System 6 on a Network

Filesharing with 6.08
Use JC Remote to set up your system 6 mac as a fileserver. You can download it here
Of course you can also use appleshare 2. You can check out Appleshare here.
Other options are Public Folder and Oscar.
The best page about setting up a system 6 mac as a file server can be found here

Connecting with a localtalk or ethernet network
Use version 3.5 of Apple's networkstation software. You can download it here
General information about networking System 6 Macs can be found here
An important piece of software with the latest system 6 compatible Appletalk and ethertalk versions is the Network Software Installer 1.4.5 (1440 K floppy). If your computer can't handle 1440 k floppy's you can also use Network Software Installer 1.4.4 (800 K floppy). You need these pieces of software if you want to connect your Mac to a modern Macintosh running Mac OS X.

Client-server file synchronization
Use Dropcheck

Network Packet Compression Tool
You can use The Red Queen to speed up your network connections.

Printing on a new printer
It is often possible to print on that new printer, you thought was incompatible with system 6. It can be done with the help of a unix or a OS X print server. Here you can read how it is done.

System 6 and the Internet

Email, FTP and Web via tcp and ppp
see this page:http://www.jagshouse.com/internet_on_system_6.html
Looking for System 6 compatible Internet software? Check: Internet software

System 6 and OS X

Networking and compatibility issues
Read about dealing with System 6 in an OS environment here

System 6 and the Euro

Displaying and printing the Euro
Need to know how to deal with the Euro currency symbol on your System 6 Mac? Check this page

System 6 and DOS and Windows

Reading and writing DOS floppies and networking
You can read information about dealing with DOS and Windows on this page

Unstuffing on older Macs

Read all you need to know here
Good decompressing and decoding utilities are Mindexpander and stuffit expander

Some cool utilities

Enable forward delete
Use this extension here

How to mount disk images under system 6?
The control panel Mountimage will take care of that. It is not a very safe program though...

Connecting a zip
Use version 4.2 of the iomega driver software. You can download it here

Managing your extensions
This can be done with extensions manager 1.08. You can download that here
This can also be done with INIT/cdev. You can download that here

International date preferences
Guess you thought that came with system 7.5... Get Intlrescue

Moving unmovable windows
On a compact mac you sometimes want to move windows that aren't supposed to be moved. You can do that with Draganywindow 2.0. You can download that here

Set daylight savings time
A feature introduced in system 7.5? I don't think so... Download Clock adjust

Network Time server
Introduced in the Mac OS 8 era? Give me a break... Download Networktime.

Make your mac talk
You thought talking was system 7, 8 and 9 only? You thought wrong. You can download software here
And there's an ever newer system 6 compatible version of text to speech software here
I guess you'd like to have your system 6 mac speak the dialog boxes too. Well, you'll find what you're looking for here

Moving sound files to the system folder among other things
Something are easier in the bloat os called system 7. But the Master Jugler utilities can mean a lot to you with system 6. You can download it here. Another option is Carpet Bag
If you want to download some public domain sounds you can have a look here

Making weird system sounds
Thought weird system sounds were a system 8+ only thing? Wrong again. Download Soundmaster

Continue without reboot after a crash
Resume to Finder will place a resume option on almost every window containing a 'bomb'.

Want to make a bootable system 6 disk using a quadra or powermac?
You need FixSix for this. You first copy the system folder to a floppy, then drag the "System" icon onto me, and the system will be bootable. (Requires Mac OS 8.0 or higher)

More utilities can be found on this page: Utilities

Interface enhancements

Want sticky menu's?
Install Automenus.

Tear off menu's
Another nice and sometimes handy System 6 gadget... Get the control panel Tear off

Windowshade
You thought windowshade only existed for system 7.5 and higher? You thought wrong. You can download Windowshade for system 6 here

Put a desktop picture on your desktop (just like system 8)
For this you'll need Deskpicture. You can download that here
There is a similar program that can do the same trick here

Liked the NextStep look?
You can also get in your system 6 Mac with wdefiii 3.1

Want a menubar clock?
You got it. It's called superclock. You can download it here and while you are at it, why not make your Mac chime.

Change the look of your scroll bar
You can do this with altcdef1.3 , 

Make your interface more colorfull
Install Coloriconmania

Change the look of your windows
Install Dragger (not for color Macs) or Windchooser, Winstacker or Zoombar

Have a nice beach ball instead of the clock
Beach balls not only appear in OS X. Download Colormaster to see what I mean.

Want a system 7.5 style desktop pattern manager?
Download Bigpat. or Pikapat and see for yourself where Apple gets its ideas from...

Remember Aaron?
A similar looking cool alternative to the Chicago system font is also available for system 6. Download Chicagonice

Animate the apple in your Apple Menu
Install SuperApple.