Power PC MacMini - What to do with it?

[Colin14]

to the folk mentioning using it as a server. could someone explain the benefits of that to me please.

What can you do with a server?

I already have a macbook and time capsule.

 

[zen.state]

to the folk mentioning using it as a server. could someone explain the benefits of that to me please.

What can you do with a server?

I already have a macbook and time capsule.

You could use it as a file/music server but with time capsule already it would kind of be overkill.

Since in your first post of the thread you mention it isn't really worth selling then I recommend you just keep it around as a 2nd system. It would be great to have around if your main Mac ever goes down to the shop for more than a day. It's also great to have a 2nd computer so if one breaks you can find a do it yourself fix online with the other system.

 

[Paulywauly]

You could use it as a file/music server but with time capsule already it would kind of be overkill.

Thats not necessarily the case, he could use the time capsule as backup storage for both the macbook and mini.

Basically a server is just a fancy word for a computer that provides a service to another one. I'll list some common examples:

1. you can use it to store all your files on which you can 'Share" with your Macbook, rather than having two copies of your files on each.
2. You can store your iTunes library on it and, again, "share" it across any other computers at home.
3. you can set it up as a print server, meaning you can install it on the Mini and when you print from your Macbook it'll come out of the printer connected to the Mini.
4. You can use it to store movies/photos/Music on which can stream to a ps3/xbox360/TV or iPad/iPhone or iPod Touch

Thats all really easy stuff to setup and shouldn't cost you anything. There are more technical things you can do such as setting up a Proxy server, a VPN or web server but unless your a real power user thats probably overkill!

 

[stroked]

I currently use a 2009 Mac Mini as my main desktop computer. When I upgrade to a new computer, there are lots of uses for the old Mac Mini...

• Hook it up to the TV as an entertainment device
• File server
• Web Server
• Distributed computing

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get GPU/CUDA folding@home to work on it. I tried to set up my Mac Mini as a dedicated folding machine.

Ok, what is a folding machine?

 

[MacHamster68]

Ok, what is a folding machine?

that is a computer that only runs Folding @home


my 4 eMacs at the moment because they are not busy enough and would stand around doing nothing and getting bored are setup as seti machines


the idea behind is simple , instead of 1 scientist buying one supercomputer for several million dollars
the data gets calculated and analysed by thousands of normal computers around the world , that would stand around doing nothing instead

there are lots of projects like that , and you dont have to be a scientist , just search for distributed computing or boinc