CFM-68K Runtime Enabler 4.0: Crashes; OSL 1.2?

Regarding the newly released CFM-68K Runtime Enabler 4.0:

a. Freezes and crashes Larry Andrick writes that with the new Enabler installed, his Mac "freezes immediately after loading (or attempting to load) the CFM-68K extension. It does not appear to be a conflict per se, because this same thing happens even if I disable all other control panels and extensions."

Brian Holroyd confirms this same symptom: "I installed the new CFM-68K Runtime Enabler v. 4.0 and had repeated crashes during bootup just as the CFM-68K Runtime Enabler icon came onto the screen." Reverting to CFM-68K v. 1.0.4 eliminated the crashes.

Sam McDonald: "I get a crash every time I quit a WAV document when using the new CFM 68K Enabler 4.0."

Bob Wooten: After installing CFM-68K Runtime Enabler, "I opened some downloaded files with Acrobat Reader 2.1 and tried to print. This froze the computer when the file was being sent to my StyleWriter 2500. Disabling the Enabler file eliminated the freeze."

Of course, not all users report these problems. [Update: Actually many users have now emailed me to say that they have had no problems at all!] In any case, I wonder whether the OSL 1.2 file may be involved here. Read on:

b. OSL 1.2? Several readers (including Scott Harrison and Raul Regalado) have asked why the CFM-68K file (which is designed only for 680X0 Macs) comes with ObjectSupportLib 1.2 (which is a PowerPC native file). Apple writes: "Apple includes OSL 1.2 to install along with the CFM-68K Runtime Enabler 4.0 because of problems found when using older versions of ObjectSupportLib with the CFM-68K Runtime Enabler. Be aware that some applications will overwrite this file with an older version." I can only assume that the Runtime Enabler itself, which allows 680X0 Macs to use routines originally designed only for PowerPC machines, somehow uses this file. Anyone with a clearer understanding of this, feel free to let me know.