11 years.
No such thing as OS 8.2 btw
The ****** performa 6205 CD still worked last time I checked.... so did the 1990 Mac Classic.
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How long has your Mac lasted?
- Thread starter Michael CM1
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11 years.
No such thing as OS 8.2 btw
The ****** performa 6205 CD still worked last time I checked.... so did the 1990 Mac Classic.
didn't know time capsule could reinstall programs. wonder if it can reinstall your leopard apps when you upgrade to snow leopard.
ok so,
#1 is best financially because you spend $2,700 every five years ($3,000 - $300).
#2 is the worse because you spend $7,500 every five years assuming you sell the old one for half price after a year.
#3 This is actually in between, assuming you sell it for 2/3 the cost you end up spending $5,000 every five years.
I suppose if you end up selling your $3,000 MBP for $2,500 after 6 months then you end up spending $2,500 every five years. Not bad if that's the case although you come to the lease or own debate where some people just enjoy owning their own car/laptop than getting a new one every now and then.
I buy a new Macbook Pro every other update. I bought a Mid 2007 Macbook Pro then sold it before I bought a Unibody Macbook Pro just after the 15" version was announced.
So you update your machine when apple announce a big change such as the transition between the PowerBook G4 (Aluminium) model also known as the MacBook Pro (Classic) to the new unibody MacBook Pro model or when apple announce a small change such as core duo to core 2 duo ?
Or do you update every big/small change they do?
Do you also follow the timeline?
For cost benefit analysis, to do better than break even, do two things:
1) rent the machine with software you pick
2) use that to make money charging clients per hour, billable hours
This is what the world's largest non-book publisher has done who I worked for. During the late-80s until the early 2000s, this fortune 500 company would rent, let's say a Power Mac G3, loaded with a full suite of Adobe software and other titles, pay $1000 a month for the machine plus full 24/7 on site tech support, and at the end of the time period of rental, just switch it out for a newer machine, let's say a dual G4 Power Mac with all the updated software, and continue paying the $1000 dollars a month, forever, if you wish but going only month to month. We would rent out the machines at $24 dollars an hour and when we did simple graphics jobs which could be as simple as making a personalized Christmas card and taking out "red eye", we would charge the customer $90 dollars an hour, and this was fifteen years ago. Each machine in our arsenal netted us thousands of dollars each, every month, and we never had to buy a single piece of equipment or software, but only paid for the electricity to run the rented machines and paid for paper.
I also worked at the second biggest educational book publisher in the US and we also rented from this computer/software rental company, at the $1000 dollar a month rate for machine/software/support, but the net profit at the end of the day was not quite as big as the previous example. This was a few years later and the G4s/G5 Power Macs came pre-installed with Microsoft Office for Mac, Adobe Design Suite, Adobe Web Suite, every Apple software title, and Quark or about $15,000 dollars of software in a $4000 dollar machine.
Other than renting a machine, being guaranteed unlimited service and the latest hardware and software at no additional monthly rental cost, and charging people for the products you make with the machine, there is no easy way to profit from any computer.
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Personally, when I look at the fact one iBook netted me a couple thousand in its life on side jobs was not bad, however, the iBook was $1599, the Adobe Suite student edition was $425, so I just about broke even.
My Powerbook is 5 years old and still going - got its HDD replaced after the first year though and the LCD assembly replaced because of a flicker when I tap the sides.
My MBP is 2 years old, and just got its Superdrive and top case assembly replaced because my KB and touchpad stopped working. Battery Health bounces from 75 to 36% all the time.
It's getting harder for me to gloat about reliability to my PC friends.
My MBP is 2 years old, and just got its Superdrive and top case assembly replaced because my KB and touchpad stopped working. Battery Health bounces from 75 to 36% all the time.
It's getting harder for me to gloat about reliability to my PC friends.
Powermac G4 867Mhz DP lasted 5 years (Bought for £1300 sold for £300)
Macbook Pro 2.4Ghz 15" has lasted 1 year and 3 months so far (Bought for £1500, worth £1000ish now)
Macbook Pro 2.4Ghz 15" has lasted 1 year and 3 months so far (Bought for £1500, worth £1000ish now)
I've got two original G5's kicking around along with an iBook G4. Computers can last a good while, and I think the shortened lifespans that have been mentioned are due to usage issues rather than poor build quality. The more you carry around a laptop produces more opportunities for accidents and wear.
The killer is the going obsolete thing for me.
My 1999 iBook takes up to OS X 10.2, though it was originally designed for OS 8.6, but anything beyond 10.2 does not talk to all components of my computer. There are no firmware updates for all of the issues, so that computer is forever stuck with 10.2 as the max without getting too bogged down and slowing up. But it lived through 8.6, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, OS X beta, 10.0, 10.1, and 10.2 so I can't complain.
My 2000 Dual 500 Power Mac takes everything up through OS X 10.3 but the built in zip drive is practically useless and it's harder to find DVD RAM disks to burn stuff onto. It was originally set up to handle OS 8.6. I could get an internal modern DVD burner but I don't think it's worth it being a 9 year old machine that is extremely loud with three very small and loud SCSI hard drives and very fast internal fans.
I suspect my 2005 Mac mini is good for OS X, 10.5, but is iffy beyond that since it uses the now obsolete Motorola PowerPC G4 processor, so in another couple of years, Intel only Mac software may be the case making this 4 year old machine dead in the water. If it lasts, I will use it as a backup machine for old stuff into 2012.
Of course, the next Mac will be a multiple Intel core/processor machine and I realistically hope five or six years of usable life, but not more because the software will overpower the machine or just won't talk to it.
The software industry drives us poor folk to have to buy new Macs every 5-7 years if we want to keep somewhat current and usable. Some Mac users, the power users, switch out machines before they are 3 years old. This can get expensive.
I know a few people still rocking Pismos and Cubes. They are 2000-2001 vintage IIRC.
I might even pickup a Pismo soon, It would be nice to have a beater laptop that I dont have to worry about when traveling to some of the less nice parts of the world.
I might even pickup a Pismo soon, It would be nice to have a beater laptop that I dont have to worry about when traveling to some of the less nice parts of the world.
I wonder if there are any Mac users who have been able to rig up a 1998 iMac or 1999 iBook to use OS X, 10.5?
Or are there any PC users who can rig up my 1998 Compaq Presario 366 Mhz laptop with Vista? The hard drive only has 4 gigs on it but there must be a way to get a mini install with just the basic features. If anything, the challenge is fun.
Or are there any PC users who can rig up my 1998 Compaq Presario 366 Mhz laptop with Vista? The hard drive only has 4 gigs on it but there must be a way to get a mini install with just the basic features. If anything, the challenge is fun.
I'm typing on my 12" PowerBook that will be 5 years old in May. My favorite part is that I've never had to reinstall the OS. I did upgrade it when Tiger came out but otherwise it just works. It seems that Windows needs a reinstall every year or so or it self destructs.
Still using my 667 Titanium Powerbook G4 10.4.11 OSX purchased late 2002. Upgraded the RAM and dropped a bigger HD (100GB). Otherwise it runs great. Mainly use it for browsing and iTunes (Airtunes).
Just upgraded MBP 2.16 HD to 320GB for more space. Let me just say that Time Machine is awesome. Our HD was failing and wouldn't complete a TM backup 2 weeks ago. Started triggering errors with pic files and stuff. Put in new HD and used the last 'good' TM backup to restore the MBP to prior status. We lost some files that were added in last 2 weeks but most are intact.
Just upgraded MBP 2.16 HD to 320GB for more space. Let me just say that Time Machine is awesome. Our HD was failing and wouldn't complete a TM backup 2 weeks ago. Started triggering errors with pic files and stuff. Put in new HD and used the last 'good' TM backup to restore the MBP to prior status. We lost some files that were added in last 2 weeks but most are intact.
My 12" PowerBook G4 was bought in June 2004, a CompUSA display model.
It was my main computer until I bought a MacBook 2 years ago.
It was in a backpack that slid off my shoulder at the top of a ladder of a airplane I was flying at the time, it tumbled down and landed on the tarmac.
You can see it hit hard, those aluminum case's are tough!
The thing was asleep and didn't even wake up!
It's seeing new life lately, I use it at school to take notes.
It was my main computer until I bought a MacBook 2 years ago.
It was in a backpack that slid off my shoulder at the top of a ladder of a airplane I was flying at the time, it tumbled down and landed on the tarmac.
You can see it hit hard, those aluminum case's are tough!
The thing was asleep and didn't even wake up!
It's seeing new life lately, I use it at school to take notes.
Attachments
At least you have a beater laptop that you don't have to worry about when traveling.
Hey, same here!
I do admit that I would like a new Apple laptop - if only Apple would offer a decent one that I can see would last me another 4 1/2 years.
I am 100% certain that 3-4 years from now you need 8GB of RAM minimum. Since I want my next laptop to last me longer than 2 years, 8GB of RAM is a deal breaker for me.
And hands up how many current Apple laptops can use 8GB of RAM?
None.
The 17" isn't even shipping yet; some say it's going to be March...
And I am not sure I would want to go from 12" to 17", as I am carrying mine around a lot. And small size is really nice.
So where is the 13" MB or 15" MBP that can use 8GB of RAM? Nvidia says their chip set can do it. Silence from Apple... And the brave souls who tried it found out it doesn't work.
The alternative is an iMac or MacPro but I'm so used to a small laptop now...
In a way, my Mac has lasted me much longer than I ever intended - and it's Apple's own fault.
My cash is burning a hole in my pocket the last 6 months - but Apple doesn't want it...
Hope they can up the specs of their laptops soon.
my ol iBook g3 clamshell is still gong good, battery is knackered though!
Wireless works perfect on it, use to use it round my mates house, got a unibody mbp now though so yeah
i like my old imac g3 too, using that cause my mbp is in the apple shop atm, and even though i have some beasty pc to go on, one you use mac, you never wanna go back
Wireless works perfect on it, use to use it round my mates house, got a unibody mbp now though so yeah
i like my old imac g3 too, using that cause my mbp is in the apple shop atm, and even though i have some beasty pc to go on, one you use mac, you never wanna go back
Current
PowerBook G3, approaching 10 years old.
PowerMac G5, approaching 5 years old.
PowerBook G4, 4 years old. Died approaching 3rd year (similar GPU problem to the MacBook Pros), then after reseating and shimming the GPU,it's now working again.
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Previous
iMac 350, 6 years then sold.
PowerMac 7500, 10 years then power supply died.
Classic II working when put in storage 2 years ago, dead when taken out. (I have read the fix is easy, replacing some resistors).
PowerBook G3, approaching 10 years old.
PowerMac G5, approaching 5 years old.
PowerBook G4, 4 years old. Died approaching 3rd year (similar GPU problem to the MacBook Pros), then after reseating and shimming the GPU,it's now working again.
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Previous
iMac 350, 6 years then sold.
PowerMac 7500, 10 years then power supply died.
Classic II working when put in storage 2 years ago, dead when taken out. (I have read the fix is easy, replacing some resistors).
macs and time
The iMac g4 1ghz I bought for my dad in 2003 is still going strong. I put Panther back on it before I moved across the county as it did have Tiger on it when I was home. The hard drive took a dump on it on day 1094 and apple care took care of that even though it went down a day before apple care ran out. I sold my 1.25ghz g4 powerbook that I bought on its release day to a friend and it is still going strong even though about a year ago one of the ram sticks went down but that is a minor fix. My other macs have all been purchased in the last two years and my friends ibooks have lasted at least 4 years along with an emac I gave someone that is still going strong almost 7 years later. I HOPE to get at least three years out of my BlackBook at the very least as long as it can run the most current OSX and then either a refurb air or 17 incher Macbook Pro.
The iMac g4 1ghz I bought for my dad in 2003 is still going strong. I put Panther back on it before I moved across the county as it did have Tiger on it when I was home. The hard drive took a dump on it on day 1094 and apple care took care of that even though it went down a day before apple care ran out. I sold my 1.25ghz g4 powerbook that I bought on its release day to a friend and it is still going strong even though about a year ago one of the ram sticks went down but that is a minor fix. My other macs have all been purchased in the last two years and my friends ibooks have lasted at least 4 years along with an emac I gave someone that is still going strong almost 7 years later. I HOPE to get at least three years out of my BlackBook at the very least as long as it can run the most current OSX and then either a refurb air or 17 incher Macbook Pro.
My MacBook Pro: 2 years and 4 months
My old PowerBook: 3 years and 4 months
My parents' iMac: 3 years and 4 months
My sister's MacBook Pro: 6 months
My second-hand iMac: Almost 9 years
None of them have ever failed.
My old PowerBook: 3 years and 4 months
My parents' iMac: 3 years and 4 months
My sister's MacBook Pro: 6 months
My second-hand iMac: Almost 9 years
None of them have ever failed.
That reminds me of some of the massively dented trumpets that people in marching band would use so their $10,000 indoor models wouldn't get messed up. Being someone who dropped his instrument once in high school and put a massive dent in the bell, I don't blame them.
If I moved around a lot more, I'd almost be tempted for that $1,000 MB Air refurb. But I don't want to have to keep two computers in sync, which is why I went for the MB Pro.