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Just bought a 400 MHz PowerBook -- Stupid???

dingdongbubble said:
Someone said on this topic that the 2001 MAc is for 2001 Mac software. Well I would like to know with this big development and improvement in software, how more productive have we become as users? I am not talking about pros but normal family folk. I mean I used to browse the web, watch movies and stuff on my PC in 2001 with no problems but nowadays, people keep saying that it will be hard to get anything more out of a 2001 computer apart from web browsing and email. The PowerMacs were professional systems when they came out. Why is it that today they are barely able to keep up with low end consumer tasks that were carried out back in 2001 as well.

People used to design websites back in 2001, we continue to do so today as well. People used to browse the web, watch movies and stuff with ease back in 2001 and we continue to do so today as well. Was it that web browsing was considered as a high end task at that time for which you needed professional computer like the PowerMac?

Is this software development truly bringing out as much productivity as hardware power it takes?
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(rant)Honestly I have wondered about this too. Really for internet use it is just flash that causes problems. I do not understand why some websites need to tembed video and do everything in Flash. Doing basically the same site except using html and java for the site and video in wmv or quicktime drastically lowers system requirements.

I really hate flash player I do not understand why Adobe can not make it more efficient. My 800mhz iMac G4 has a hard time handing one web page with a Flash video playing. That same iMac in 2002 could have multiple html sites open and with Quicktime player have 5 or 6 video's playing simultaneously without studdering. What gives Adobe, please remove the bloat from Flash. :confused:(/rant)

Back on topic

That powerbook should be just fine for your uses you listed. The ram is more than Adequate and the Hard Drive should be just fine.

When using the internet I would suggest using Firefox with these add-ons to speed up browsing and block the flash player. The flash player blocking can be individually unblocked if there is a specific sites flash content you wish to see.

Add-Block Plus: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1865
and choose to subscribe this just gives ad-block a list of common advertising sites to block

Flash-Block: https://addons.update.mozilla.org/e...ows&category=Web%20Annoyances&numpg=10&id=433

Since you are using wireless this tweak will further speed up firefox
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1299854/posts

Here is a more thorough tutorial that I have yet to try
http://www.ubuntugeek.com/speed-up-firefox-web-browser.html

Other Firefox tweaks
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=24483&heliode+firefox

Now that 400mhz powerbook will be pretty snappy on the internet:D

Oh and for Adobe Acrobat Reader try to stay at version 5 or 6 most any PDF will still open and it is much faster than the latest versions. Or you can use Preview I just never particularly cared for that.

Enjoy
 
You also have to take into account that "just browsing the web" was a very different thing in 2001 compared with what it is now. Most websites use a LOT more recourses now than they did back then.
 
Until i got my SR MBP about a month ago i ran on a final rev. G4 iMac (with the moving screen) with 1.25GHz and 256MB of ram... For everyday simple computer stuff it was great, never any problems, sometimes slight slowdowns in iphoto and imovie. Also the screen has gotten a bit dark (when compared to the new LED on my MBP) Anyway I have the newest tiger running on that one and its still something i wouldnt sell. I personally think that mac looked a thousand times better than the flat imac.... personal taste i suppose, but its still a great mac.
 
This should be a decent deal for such a price. The computer should be able to perform basic tasks (light/medium duty internet browsing, e-mail, typing etc) with ease.
 
You'll be fine. If all you're doing is web surfing and email, don't worry about it. You'll still be using a variation of OSX, and seeing so many "kind" people have already pointed out that your machine will be a "crap 2001 laptop" :rolleyes:, I think your expectations are sufficiently lowered that you'll be aware it's not the latest and greatest. Plus, worst case, you lose $200 rather than $1000+

Enjoy your Mac :)
 
dingdongbubble said:
this software development truly bringing out as much productivity as hardware power it takes?
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Web browsing/development/what have you in 2001 is hardly the same as 2007. In 2001, there was almost no such thing as ajax (well, technically, yes there was, but nobody used it much). In 2001, CSS support in browsers was flakey and unreliable. Hell, most browsers today haven't fully implemented CSS2.

http://web.archive.org/web/20010106171300/http://www.apple.com/

Cringe.

The same tasks mentioned above can be done on 2001 hardware with 2001 software. But if you're expecting to run the 2007 version of Safari 3 on a computer from 2001, you're out of your mind, and I think that's what people are trying to get across. In order to take advantage of the newest software, you need to upgrade, because as more and more stuff is being used simultaneously (e.g. like dashboard and spotlight being added to 10.4), more resources are required.

By all means, keep using the computer from 2001. My computer from 2001 used to be my primary desktop...it's now relegated to fileserver status. It's just not powerful enough, nor does it even have the hardware, to run the latest apps quickly. But if I really needed to, it would suffice for email and web browsing and watching movies (maybe). And my mom loves using my old 1.2ghz iBook for web browsing outside, because it's decent enough for that and watching movies and listening to music (albeit shared). It works. It's just not enough to run the latest stuff to me.

In regards to productivity level...I'd possibly say more, assuming you mean 2001 hardware and software vs. 2007 hardware and software. There's a lot of software I use that I couldn't even imagine running on an OS that old.
 
I think the OP got a very nice deal! I am almost jealous. If I were him I would load the latest version of OS 9 and have myself a hot rod laptop. (Especially for just internet browsing)
 
A 400mhz powerbook won't be as bad as many of you describe. Sure, he won't be able to run Imovie or Garageband with much speed, but just to get a sense of how OS X works and play around with it, its still a great computer that can run most tasks pretty well.

Honestly speaking, the 10gb hard drive will hold you back more than the 400mhz processor will. If you consider replacing that drive with something more modern, you can easily see a 2-3x increase in performance and overall responsiveness.
 
utahraptor said:
I think the OP got a very nice deal! I am almost jealous. If I were him I would load the latest version of OS 9 and have myself a hot rod laptop. (Especially for just internet browsing)
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That wouldnt' give him a very good idea of what OSX and newer macs are like. Not saying that this experience will be a "new mac" experience. Just saying that OSX is much different then OS9 in terms of the feel... panther will be a good precursor to when he decides to finally upgrade to a new mac with leopard (by that time)

I am jealous too. Gooood deal! On the bright side, when he gets a new mac he should be able to sell that little baby for the same if not slightly more then he bought it for off ebay and be out nothing. I sold my tibook for 550 (granted it was 40gb and 867 mhz and 1gig ram.. but still those tibooks are really loved and sought after it seems)

I ran photoshop and a variety of different new software with very little slowdown on my computer. This you got is half the speed and power, but it should make quite a good email/web/aim machine for you. Just block the flash and such on firefox or whatever web browser you use and you should be great :)

Have fun! and welcome to the world of mac.
 
ktbubster said:
I am jealous too. Gooood deal!
Click to expand...

Thanks. From the pictures on eBay, the computer seemed to be in good shape, and the seller says he hasn't had any problems with it. I'll report back in a few days!
 
Ugh... You mac people should be ashamed of yourself, the OP did just fine!
I also think you should put mac os 9 on it (although it would handle tiger just fine) and play some of those really cool old games!
 
My 400Mhz/G3 Pismo Powerbook runs OS X (10.4) just fine for web browsing, email, MS Office, iTunes, and the like. Until a couple of months ago, I was doing it all on the original 6GB hard drive. An old G4 Powerbook will certainly give the OP a good taste of the OS X experience. $200 sounds like a good deal.
 
Would a low end 2001 windows laptop give a Mac user a good idea about what is available on a band new Vista laptop?

of course not.

the last 5 years for apple have been more full of change and evolution than the last 10 years of Windows.
 
Sean Dempsey said:
Would a low end 2001 windows laptop give a Mac user a good idea about what is available on a band new Vista laptop?

of course not. .
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I don't know about that. Vista isn't THAT much different from Windows 2000. I mean, it's still Windows. Sure, there are tons of differences, but someone using Windows 2000 would at least have somewhat of an idea of what Windows is all about.
 
K-Funk said:
Eh, I don't have much of a need for media/video. I'm mainly just interested in blogs, message boards, news, etc, and toying around with the Mac OS.

Anyway, sounds like I'll be OK as long as I keep my expectations to a 2001 level and not to a 2007 level.
Click to expand...

You'll be fine with these tasks on a Titanium PB. Your friend doesn't know what he's talking about, along with some people in this thread. :rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
bartelby said:
I don't understand people who think that just because things can't run the latest and greatest apps the computer is worthless.
Click to expand...
I understand where your coming from. I too have had the same feelings recently.

tristan said:
There's a great site on older macs that I read every day, and that I highly recommend for the OP. Its www.lowendmac.com, and it has a lot of great info on how to get the most out of older macs.
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That's a VG (very good) site.

To OP you can get by just fine surfing the web, typing stuff out and watching DVDs on that PB.

Posted w/an iMac 333MHz/256ram/6ghd/Netscape7/56k modem
 
If you are going to be playing dvds like the last poster mentioned, make sure to elevate it. You will get some decently loud fan action if not... and still probably will, just expect it. The tibooks DO get hot if used for certain things like that, I know mine did. Just a heads up, but everything else shoudl be fine :)
 
Thats was great deal, I would have bought it. :) I have a 400 mhz g4 for my friends to use sometimes while they are learning flash, photoshop and other programs (granted I use mx 2004 on that machine) and it is actually pretty fast. As for internet though, it does tend to bog, especially on flash sites. Thats one thing I never figured out. Large flash files play fine in flash (the editor) but suck on the internet. But I assume it is the older software on the older hardware that makes it a good performer. But anyways, it is a nice machine, and I am sure you were not expecting it to be as good as the latest and greatest anyway. If you ever want to sell it, PM me, I collect older macs (g3's and up only now :) )
 
Well, my PowerBook arrived today in the mail. I'm using it right now!

The internet seems almost as fast as my desktop (as long as I'm not doing anything fancy). Also, Word and AppleWorks are already installed.

I'm still getting used to the OS, but the screen looks awesome. So far, so good!
 
Oh, I need some advice. When I'm not using the computer for long periods of time (e.g., overnight), should I shut the power off, or just leave it in sleep mode? Thanks.
 
If you let it sleep and then the battery runs out, you might lose some data you forgot to save. That's pretty much the only reason.

Congratulations! Be sure to share your experiences in order to help other people who are facing the same purchasing decision.
 
K-Funk said:
Oh, I need some advice. When I'm not using the computer for long periods of time (e.g., overnight), should I shut the power off, or just leave it in sleep mode? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Seconded. Leave it in sleep mode whenever possible, unless you are planning to be away from your computer for a couple of days. Instant sleep is one of the notable features of Mac laptops that attracted me to them a while ago. Prior to that I had a Dell that would wake up for no reason in the middle of the night and start spinning its loud hard drive, or, randomly, not even go to sleep at all.
 
not stupid at all sure of course its not gonna be a speed demon but it will suffice aslong as that hard drive is replaced...pretty much all u need maybe some extra ram and a clean install will boost ur mac . OS 9 would be cool on it too on a second partition (after you get that larger drive of course)
good luck ....lucky!
 
I think you will be unimpressed.

I am even really unimpressed with the Fastest G4's that are out...

YOu need an Intel Mac. The 900$ MacBook would be your best bet. You will love the thing.
 
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