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iMac G5... how long does it have?

sikkinixx

sikkinixx

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Jul 10, 2005
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Alright, so if I were to use an iMac G5 (second to last revision, just before they got the iSight camera built in) as a main/secondary PC (Macbook/Air would be the other) how long does it have left?

I mean, it can only go to Leopard so how soon until Apple stops updating iTunes etc. for it. Basically I want to have a laptop as my main computer but I want an always-on computer for Apple TV etc. And I may have a chance to scoop an iMac up for nothing.

I don't speed is a huge deal since I just browse the web/email/iTunes anyway. Thoughts?
 
mrsir2009

mrsir2009

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Sep 17, 2009
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A G5 imac'll be great for what you need! Leopard is the latest OS that works on it, but I'd imagine it would be some time before they stopped iTunes updates for it. And even if they do, you'll be fine with the current version of iTunes, won't you? :)
 
Hrududu

Hrududu

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Jul 25, 2008
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I would imagine iTunes and Safari support for PowerPC will continue for some time. Probably until 10.8 comes out as Apple is still doing a good job at supporting Tiger even today.
 
mrsir2009

mrsir2009

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Sep 17, 2009
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Hrududu said:
I would imagine iTunes and Safari support for PowerPC will continue for some time. Probably until 10.8 comes out as Apple is still doing a good job at supporting Tiger even today.
Click to expand...

When Lion comes out I think they will ditch all support for Tiger with iTunes. But they will continue supporting Leopard for ages, since it is very similar to Snow Leopard - their current OS.
 
mrsir2009

mrsir2009

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DoFoT9 said:
thats what they did with SL iirc, dropped support for 10.3.
Click to expand...

Makes sense. No one uses Panther anymmore. Around 90% of Mac users use Snow Leopard or Leopard, and the remaining 10% use Tiger. When devs make modern apps, there is no point in making it support OS's earlier than Tiger. Maybe even just Leopard and up if supporting Tiger is too much trouble.....
 
DoFoT9

DoFoT9

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Jun 11, 2007
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mrsir2009 said:
Makes sense. No one uses Panther anymmore. Around 90% of Mac users use Snow Leopard or Leopard, and the remaining 10% use Tiger. When devs make modern apps, there is no point in making it support OS's earlier than Tiger. Maybe even just Leopard and up if supporting Tiger is too much trouble.....
Click to expand...
yeh totally agreed there, however i do like that certain coders still code for Tiger, Panther etc because quite often i will want my iMac G3 to work in a certain way, blaablaa. i guess they are legacy apps though.
 
mrsir2009

mrsir2009

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Sep 17, 2009
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DoFoT9 said:
yeh totally agreed there, however i do like that certain coders still code for Tiger, Panther etc because quite often i will want my iMac G3 to work in a certain way, blaablaa. i guess they are legacy apps though.
Click to expand...

Yes I'd like it if most apps still supported Tiger, as it is quite widely used. 10% isn't that much... but hey! Its 10% of the market your missing out on if you don't bother making your apps run on Tiger...
 
DoFoT9

DoFoT9

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mrsir2009 said:
I'm using OS9 right now!

BTW, isn't OS8 pretty much the same as OS9?
Click to expand...
:eek:

BLASHPEMY!!! IVE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING SO INCORRECT AND RUDE!!!! ;) :rolleyes:

nah, OS9 was the first to truely implement multitasking, OS8 and OS7 were only "fake" in the sense that the idle apps were halted in computations - much the same as iOS HAHA.
 
mrsir2009

mrsir2009

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Sep 17, 2009
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DoFoT9 said:
:eek:

BLASHPEMY!!! IVE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING SO INCORRECT AND RUDE!!!! ;) :rolleyes:

nah, OS9 was the first to truely implement multitasking, OS8 and OS7 were only "fake" in the sense that the idle apps were halted in computations - much the same as iOS HAHA.
Click to expand...

What, so if say, you were on Macrumours on OS8, and you had an app/game loading in the backround... would it pause till you switched to that app?!
 
DoFoT9

DoFoT9

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Jun 11, 2007
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mrsir2009 said:
What, so if say, you were on Macrumours on OS8, and you had an app/game loading in the backround... would it pause till you switched to that app?!
Click to expand...
yes i believe so, never actually tried it - but thats what ive read :)

i dont think the main OS supported a feature known as forking, so each app was put into a hold state. or maybe OS8 was the first, im getting confused - in anycase its one of them haa
 
mrsir2009

mrsir2009

macrumors 604
Sep 17, 2009
7,505
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Melbourne, Australia
DoFoT9 said:
yes i believe so, never actually tried it - but thats what ive read :)

i dont think the main OS supported a feature known as forking, so each app was put into a hold state. or maybe OS8 was the first, im getting confused - in anycase its one of them haa
Click to expand...

Well thank god I've got OS9 on my iBook then! As I'm always downloading stuff, then installing/unzipping it in the backround while I'm on the net. Plus I play games while downloads are in progress etc...

It'd be hell if something paused when I went onto another app!
 
DoFoT9

DoFoT9

macrumors P6
Jun 11, 2007
17,586
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London, United Kingdom
mrsir2009 said:
Well thank god I've got OS9 on my iBook then! As I'm always downloading stuff, then installing/unzipping it in the backround while I'm on the net. Plus I play games while downloads are in progress etc...

It'd be hell if something paused when I went onto another app!
Click to expand...
oh wow yes that would be quite annoying! is that a clamshell ibook? if so - JEALOUS!
 
sikkinixx

sikkinixx

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 10, 2005
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0
Rocketing through the sky!
Thanks for the input (initially anyway ;)) Can you add a small SSD in old G5 units? Most of the music/pics etc will be on a network drive anyway so a cheap way to boost performance on the old systems would be a reasonably priced SSD no?
 
DoFoT9

DoFoT9

macrumors P6
Jun 11, 2007
17,586
99
London, United Kingdom
sikkinixx said:
Thanks for the input (initially anyway ;)) Can you add a small SSD in old G5 units? Most of the music/pics etc will be on a network drive anyway so a cheap way to boost performance on the old systems would be a reasonably priced SSD no?
Click to expand...
i thikn that will work fine, as long as the iMac uses SATA power and data cables :)
 
mrsir2009

mrsir2009

macrumors 604
Sep 17, 2009
7,505
156
Melbourne, Australia
sikkinixx said:
Thanks for the input (initially anyway ;)) Can you add a small SSD in old G5 units? Most of the music/pics etc will be on a network drive anyway so a cheap way to boost performance on the old systems would be a reasonably priced SSD no?
Click to expand...

Yes, I suppose it would. The older iMacs take 3.5 inch hard drives I would imagine.
 
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