iMac G5 PowerPc 10.5.8

[billyrobertcourty]

Hey guys I need your help here. I am new with Macs and i just bought that NICE iMac on kijiji for really cheap. I just upgraded my 10.4.11 version to Leopard 10.5.8. As i am reading forums, what i do understand is that i cannot upgrade my iMac further because it has a PowerPc processor. Now i cannot install google chrome, i can not even watch Youtube videos properly because they are actually playing frame by frame, so laggy. Whats the point of having this computer if it is just for browsing internet? How could Apple leave people that would have paid full price for this computer, with absolutely nothing really interesting to play with? I could have an old PC laptop with Windows 95 and still watch youtube properly. Can you guys give me advices or tips? Am i wrong? I was so happy about this new iMac but now i am not sure anymore. Could i install a Linux Distro that would at least let me watch Youtube properly? Could i replace the inside components with Intel (motherboard, chip, video card, etc.) ? Thanks for your help!

-Billy (new apple fan lol)

 

[garirry]

Hello, and welcome to this community and the Apple fanbase! The iMac G5 contains a PowerPC processor, which, sadly, is not compatible with Intel-based software, including Snow Leopard (10.6) and further. Leopard (10.5) is as far as you can go. It is quite slow these days, and that is because this computer is over 10 years old. Also, try watching Youtube on a W95 laptop and tell me how it goes. Anyway, you need to install alternative software so that it becomes much more useable. For example, you can install TenFourFox, which is pretty much Firefox but compatible with G4/G5 processors, there's also Stainless, which is the same but with Chrome, but it's not as good as TFF. For youtube videos, you can download MacTubes, which, from my experience, lets you watch YT videos without any lag. You can also go to something like Old Apps and search old versions of applications. You can try installing an old version of iTunes, which has most of the functionalities still available in the latest version (except syncing with newer devices). You can experiment with it as much as you want, so I wish you good luck.

 

[billyrobertcourty]

Hello, and welcome to this community and the Apple fanbase! The iMac G5 contains a PowerPC processor, which, sadly, is not compatible with Intel-based software, including Snow Leopard (10.6) and further. Leopard (10.5) is as far as you can go. It is quite slow these days, and that is because this computer is over 10 years old. Also, try watching Youtube on a W95 laptop and tell me how it goes. Anyway, you need to install alternative software so that it becomes much more useable. For example, you can install TenFourFox, which is pretty much Firefox but compatible with G4/G5 processors, there's also Stainless, which is the same but with Chrome, but it's not as good as TFF. For youtube videos, you can download MacTubes, which, from my experience, lets you watch YT videos without any lag. You can also go to something like Old Apps and search old versions of applications. You can try installing an old version of iTunes, which has most of the functionalities still available in the latest version (except syncing with newer devices). You can experiment with it as much as you want, so I wish you good luck.

Thanks for the TenFourFox advice! Now, for Mactubes, its says that they are down because they change the Google API or something? So Mactubes and any other softwares for viewing Youtube videos with no lag are no more availables...

 

[keysofanxiety]

Hey guys I need your help here. I am new with Macs and i just bought that NICE iMac on kijiji for really cheap. I just upgraded my 10.4.11 version to Leopard 10.5.8. As i am reading forums, what i do understand is that i cannot upgrade my iMac further because it has a PowerPc processor. Now i cannot install google chrome, i can not even watch Youtube videos properly because they are actually playing frame by frame, so laggy. Whats the point of having this computer if it is just for browsing internet? How could Apple leave people that would have paid full price for this computer, with absolutely nothing really interesting to play with? I could have an old PC laptop with Windows 95 and still watch youtube properly. Can you guys give me advices or tips? Am i wrong? I was so happy about this new iMac but now i am not sure anymore. Could i install a Linux Distro that would at least let me watch Youtube properly? Could i replace the inside components with Intel (motherboard, chip, video card, etc.) ? Thanks for your help!

-Billy (new apple fan lol)

I hate to be the bearer of bad news Billy, if you've bought a G5 iMac they were last manufactured around 2005/2006. Almost a decade old, which is a long time in computer terms. Furthermore as they're PowerPC practically no software is compiled for it, so they're really good for nothing but running legacy software and maybe some old PPC games.

Sure with a few tweaks you'd be able to get it running a little smoother, but even a Core Duo MacBook from just the following year is twice as powerful (going on Geekbench scores).

 

[redheeler]

Thanks for the TenFourFox advice! Now, for Mactubes, its says that they are down because they change the Google API or something? So Mactubes and any other softwares for viewing Youtube videos with no lag are no more availables...

Try installing the TenFourFox Quicktime enabler. You'll be able to open YouTube videos in Quicktime which will decrease the amount of lag.

Additionally, you can still open YouTube videos by the URL in YouView or MacTubes.