Simulating Small Displays for Mac Developers
In the late 80s, Macintosh computers came with a variety of screen sizes, ranging from the tiny 9-inch monochrome displays of the Macintosh Plus to the larger 13-inch and 15-inch color displays available on later models. But for software developers, this variety posed a challenge: How could you ensure your applications looked good and functioned properly on all these different screens?
The Problem: Designing for Smaller Screens
Mac developers often worked on larger displays, but many end users still had compact Macs with limited screen real estate. This made it difficult to test:
- Menu bar spacing - Did all menu items fit properly, or did they overflow?
- Dialog box layouts - Were alert boxes and input fields fully visible on a smaller screen?
- Window positioning - Would key UI elements be cut off or hard to access?
The Solution: MiniScreen
MiniScreen solved this problem by reducing the usable desktop area of a Mac to simulate a smaller display. A developer working on a 15-inch monitor could instantly restrict their workspace to a 9-inch screen, mimicking the experience of a Mac Plus or SE user. This made it easier to develop and test applications without needing multiple physical machines.
The price was $39.95, and it turned out to be an essential tool for many developers. Among my most notable customers were Microsoft and Apple, who purchased multiple copies over the years.
Download MiniScreen 2.0 (27K self-extracting archive)
The Unfinished Expansion
At one point, I was working on an expanded application-based version of MiniScreen with additional display emulation features. However, my focus shifted toward larger projects—specifically, launching an Internet Service Provider (ISP). That marked the end of my time developing commercial software utilities.
Looking Back
Today, macOS developers have tools like Xcode’s device simulators and responsive design testing built into modern development environments. But in the early 90s, MiniScreen was one of the few solutions available to simulate different display sizes. It was a small but powerful utility that made life easier for Mac developers—myself included.
Would a tool like MiniScreen still be relevant today? Probably not in the same form, but back in its time, it was invaluable.