Keeping Older Machines In Service

[drewdle]

Hey everyone. This might have been done before, but I thought I'd post a bit of a roll-call to anyone out there who is using an older Mac as their main computer, or is hard at work keeping older machines in service. I'm a good mood because I just picked up 1Gb of PC133 memory and a new 160Gb hard drive for my G4 iMac for around a hundred bucks. The machine's performance is awesome for it's age, if a little slow when multitasking or trying to cough up video, so the memory should help with that. Also, a new 7200rpm hard drive couldn't hurt. I use it as my primary desktop.

Also, I work in computer store that, among other things, is an Apple Reseller and sometimes the opportunity arises to save old machines from the recycler. One customer brought in a Blueberry iMac (no FireWire) that is having it's stuff transfered to a new 21" iMac, but the thing is in mint shape. Also have a lead on a full Macintosh Classic setup (keyboard, ImageWriter II printer, all software, etc), which while of course is of limited use nowadays, would be a fun writing computer.

Anyone else have stories to share? I just love keeping these machines in service for as long as I can, so long as my needs don't eclipse the systems, and the G4 handles light video editing, GarageBand, and word processing quite well.

[miles01110]

I still have a working G4 iMac; probably still my favorite machine in terms of design. Does exactly what I need it to (i.e. not much), but it's good for displaying a recipe in the kitchen where I put it.

My dad still has an original Macintosh in his office (he's a professor). He uses it to write his exams so nobody knows how to steal them aside from writing down the questions on paper if they ever broke into his office :p

[MacHamster68]

i have a iMac g3 as my bedroom computer , its a 700mhz one with 16mb vram and 768mb ram , ultra quiet , and powerful enough for surfing the web , emailing and watching divx films on it which i stream over via ethernet from a external harddrive connected my mini , or some dvd's on its dvd player or radio via itunes ,
its a snow white and i simply love its design :)

[prss14]

I use a 1 ghz, 512 mb ram, G4 eMac at work. It is awesome. Video is really the only area where it shows its age.

[Rodus]

My mums main machine is my hand-me-down iMac G3 400mhz 512MB/10GB. Been in service for 10 years 24/7 and never had any issues. For email, word processing and light web browsing it's still fine. My main laptop is still a 12" PowerBook G4 1.33 Ghz and I still have no reason to replace it as they are fantastic little machines. I also have various old 68k and beige powermacs but they are really only for a bit of fun and tinkering.

[IndustrialSpace]

I can't seem to get my Commadore 64 to connect to the internet.


Pikes Peak is getting old.

[drewdle]

i have a iMac g3 as my bedroom computer , its a 700mhz one with 16mb vram and 768mb ram , ultra quiet , and powerful enough for surfing the web , emailing and watching divx films on it which i stream over via ethernet from a external harddrive connected my mini , or some dvd's on its dvd player or radio via itunes ,
its a snow white and i simply love its design :)

The first Mac I ever saw in a store was the Tangerine G3 slot-loader. I was 13 and I was at London Drugs, and I played with it a bit (and had a surprisingly good conversation with the salesman). I've wanted a Tangerine one ever since., even if it is one of the slower ones.

[MacHamster68]

I can't seem to get my Commadore 64 to connect to the internet.


Pikes Peak is getting old.

you need a acoustic coupler
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/hardware/Epson_PX8_AcModem_1.jpg

then you only need to find a phone that still fits ;)

[IndustrialSpace]

you need a acoustic coupler
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/hardware/Epson_PX8_AcModem_1.jpg

then you only need to find a phone that still fits ;)


Hey, at least its smaller than my 5.5 floppy drive!

...you could park a car in it!