Was backing up some files (migrating from Mac mini to iMac) and came across this I did last year - how times change, half the "cover stars" have already moved on.
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Hey! I added two more monitors! You have to re-interview me!!!!
Why do people tolerate their grandparents - they're so old and pointless...
...Oh. I get it, sentimental/historical value...
Largely yes - we all know they are hopelessly outclassed but they prepresent a moment in time for some, an era you can never be a part of for others...it's the same motivation lots of people have for vintage things.
Or just that it can often be the right tool for the job.
Would you try and play 2000-2006 era games on an M2 Mac? Could you?
How about being a bridge between Intel and 68k Macs?
Some people need to maintain old software because there were no further updates. Some people are quite comfortable using period software for what they do. Can you tell a PDF made from QuarkXPress 6 or InDesisn 2 from one made from QuarkXPress 2023 or ID CS23? What about a Word doc or Excel file made from Word/Excel 2004 or 2008 vs one made from the latest version of Office for Mac? Photoshop or Illustrator file? Aren't PSD and AI similar formats despite upgrades?
And last but not least, there is a generation out there now that seems to value 'distraction free' computers for their tasks. I'm not one of those, but it's a reason some people gravitate to PowerPC now.
This question gets posed a lot it seems. If you're asking seriously, for me it isn't nostalgia at all (I never had one back then), I just really like the hardware. Given text input is such a large part of digital life (especially work), I find keyboard comfort to be one of the highest priorities, which the PPC portables deliver in spades.
Foe instance, a 17" Powerbook is a Cadillac. It types like a dream, it's comfortable to use, and the design aesthetic is incomparable. It has all modern ports I need without the need for dongles (you can debate of course USB revisions and the like). The iBook G4 has, in my mind, also one of the best laptop keyboards ever made. I can't replicate that level of old-school, built-like-a-tank with comfort in 2023 machines (at least not from Apple).
Foe instance, a 17" Powerbook is a Cadillac. It types like a dream, it's comfortable to use, and the design aesthetic is incomparable. It has all modern ports I need without the need for dongles (you can debate of course USB revisions and the like). The iBook G4 has, in my mind, also one of the best laptop keyboards ever made. I can't replicate that level of old-school, built-like-a-tank with comfort in 2023 machines (at least not from Apple).
I can see that, but couldn't the majority of those uses be achieved with an early Intel?
That is an excellent point and not really one I can definitively answer. On the one hand, having lived through the era and being stuck on PowerPC for real paid work I would have much preferred having an Intel Mac at the time.
But on this side of things, I find my 2006 17" MBP to be lacking in the kind of power and usefulness that I would have expected of that era. My MacPro and Mac Minis are certainly far more capable and in 2020 I fully moved on to Intel Macs as my primary Macs.
All that said though, I do entertain plans in my head to, at some point, set up a small 'design' lab using my old PowerPC Macs, particularly my Quad G5. There is an aspect, a 'fun' if you will, side of things that doing design in QXP 8 and ID CS4 adds to the process. I suppose that may be because its simply design for me with no deadlines and no arguments with sales and ad reps. Something I didn't always get back when those were the tools I used for a paycheck.
I can only speak for myself. Others will have different input.
You indeed can, my issue with early Intel Macbook Pros is reliability. I had an early Intel, which has most all the positives I ascribe to the PowerBooks and iBooks, but alas it died due to a known hardware issue. This isn't true for all early Intel portables, you just have to be careful not to pick up one with one of the known GPU defects.
Like it even needs to be said but I use PowerPC for the chicks.
For the Q of “Why PowerPC?” The answer is “Why not?”. Because we can. Same goes for old-school Amiga, Atari and m68k users.
Or like drivers on the road who have yet to embrace EV, and actually enjoy “old technology” such as the rumble of a combustion engine.
Each to their own!
Or like drivers on the road who have yet to embrace EV, and actually enjoy “old technology” such as the rumble of a combustion engine.
Each to their own!
I find them a bit creepy - huge vehicles only making tyre noise...I'm still in trauma from letting my Mitsubishi J-top go..I still hear it's turbocharger in my dreams
I know...its creepy theres no noise but tyre noise when they drive...I find them a bit creepy - huge vehicles only making tyre noise...I'm still in trauma from letting my Mitsubishi J-top go..I still hear it's turbocharger in my dreams
Also, its dangerous to drive in them because they have lithium batteries
Becaause they're still perfectly useable thesedays with a lightweight 32 bit linux distro and some love??
Like my 2013 MBP running Ventura with OCLP flawlessly like native, and doesnt stutter at all and is not affected by gpu problems: )
Oh wow how did I miss this lol
I haven't been on here much either. This is awesome though! I haven't really even screwed around with any of my machines in quite a while either..
I haven't been on here much either. This is awesome though! I haven't really even screwed around with any of my machines in quite a while either..
I'll walk before I have an EV. I like my vehicles with an engine, and also, a manual transmission.
Generally speaking, like my computers, I like cars that I can fix/tweak/adjust most things myself. If I can help it, a car that is analog and does not hook up to OBD-II standard for diagnostic purposes is great. In a mild ironic twist, I don't trust the old computers they interface with lol.
I'm anticipating some entertaining EV early-adopter rants in about 8-10 years when their batteries start failing and they get hit with that 10-15k price tag to replace it. Im not against EV, I do however think there's some big opportunities for refinement in the technology before I am willing to fork out for one.
I'm anticipating some entertaining EV early-adopter rants in about 8-10 years when their batteries start failing and they get hit with that 10-15k price tag to replace it. Im not against EV, I do however think there's some big opportunities for refinement in the technology before I am willing to fork out for one.
I completely forgot about Macbookprodude... I wonder how he's doing
I think people have a lot of reasons that they use old machines and not all of them are for use as a daily driver. I spend about 80% of my computing time on my M1 MacBook Pro, 18% on my Windows desktop, and maybe 2% on vintage machines (primarily PowerPC macs). I'm interested in them for a few reasons myself. First is that they are quite hackable. I really enjoy learning more about how computers really work by reverse engineering them and making them do things they were never meant to do. I also always wanted PowerPC Macs as a kid but couldn't afford them. These old macs give me a glimpse of an aspect of life I never experienced back then.