Well, I still use my old iBook G4 1.33Ghz 1Gb ram 40Gb Hdd. Was wondering what it's still good for?
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What is an iBook G4 still good for?
- Thread starter drjarv05
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If you use not-quite-current-software its good for just about anything a modern mac is good for, apart from perhaps HD Youtube. (For instance, I can still edit video on my G4 450Mhz, and use InDesign and Photoshop - the fact these are older versions didnt really bother me till I had the cash to afford its replacement)
I haven't had time to look into this myself, but I recently asked one of the IT guys at work almost exactly the same question. I have a G4 PowerBook, 17", that I no longer use. He suggested using it to try out the Chromium OS on it.
Ugh, What a massive waste. I still have a PowerBook G4 (15" 1.67) in service as my photo laptop (It lives in my Camera bag with Photoshop CS3 and Aperture on it) - I cant understand why so many people are convinced G4 + OS X is such a terrible combo anymore - you could even use it as a Media Machine, or heaven forbid, a server.
No one has said anything about G4 and OS X being a terrible combo.
I'm sure I'd still be using my PB as my regular computer if I hadn't had the possibility to get an iMac. My husband still uses his 12" G4 PB daily. I assumed the OP was looking for ideas other than the obvious: to continue to use the machine as a regular computer.I did consider setting my PB up where our phone is now, to try to get the rest of my family used to using Skype for calls. I may do something like that when Skype opens up Norway for Skype to go calling. That way we could ditch our landline.
I'm intrigued by Chromium and like trying out new things, so for me that might be a fun use for my older hardware.
Well, I'm running Leopard 10.5.8 on it at the moment.. It has 1Gb of ram installed, would upgrading it 1.5Gb help a lot? It does lag sometimes an I wanna install Photoshop an use it for a little more than just internet browsing & blogging. Even the iLife suite is slowish on here anymore, what should I do to make it a bit faster?=)
Yeah I don't think G4 + OS X is a bad combo at all, I've never had any problems with running OS X on a G4, I have a G4 Dual 500Mhz PowerMac running Leopard on 2Gb ram an it handles it perfect for me! There is still a lot you can do with a G4 even like you said a server at the least.
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No one has said anything about G4 and OS X being a terrible combo.
I did consider setting my PB up where our phone is now, to try to get the rest of my family used to using Skype for calls. I may do something like that when Skype opens up Norway for Skype to go calling. That way we could ditch our landline.
I'm intrigued by Chromium and like trying out new things, so for me that might be a fun use for my older hardware.
Heh, when i wrote that I was half asleep and probably misreading stuff... xD - to the OP, Boosting it to 1.5GB will help it massively (In fact despite my PBG4 being 2GB capable, it only has 1.5GB in as I never did upgrade the lower chip and it isnt slow for me with 1,5GB under 10.5.8)
I spent the time over Christmas rebuilding my iBook G4 with Leopard Server. It's attached to my Drobo, and serves it out to the family Macs, as well as feeding my 2G AppleTV. It's also running Transmission, MySQL and handles DHCP, DNS, as well as being a caching proxy. The only upgrade I've done to it, is to bump the RAM to 1.5GB.
I was intending to buy a Mac Mini Server to do all this, but I don't see the point, as the iBook is more than up to the job. There are some apps that won't run, due to it being PPC ( StreamToMe, for one ), but I can live with that.
I have a 12" PB that is in daily use, too. Used to run WoW on it, until WotLK bumped the specs. The only thing it could do with, is a new battery, and an SSD ( if only.... ).
^
Agree with more RAM.
Thanks, you know about how much a 1 GB RAM module would run?
Is she using Tiger or Leopard? Cause my performance is sometimes iffy, an I don't know if upgrading the RAM an maybe the HD would help it?
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Thanks, you know about how much a 1 GB RAM module would run?
Not off-hand, but I've bought all my RAM from Crucial. They've got a good system for helping you find the right RAM for your computer, they're reliable, and their prices are reasonable.
Is she using Tiger or Leopard? Cause my performance is sometimes iffy, an I don't know if upgrading the RAM an maybe the HD would help it?
It runs Leopard with no problems. I maxed out the RAM.
I have the exact same iBook G4 that I've had for almost 5 years. I've also got 1GB of memory, and just haven't ever gotten around to ordering a 1GB module for it. I suspect it would speed things up a bunch to upgrade.
I mostly use it for web surfing (running 10.4 on it). If needed, it could do a lot more, but I have a 2009 Mac Mini for my daily stuff.
I'd really like to upgrade the HDD in it, but pulling it all apart down to the chassis seems like a lot of work. We'll see if that ever gets done.
I mostly use it for web surfing (running 10.4 on it). If needed, it could do a lot more, but I have a 2009 Mac Mini for my daily stuff.
I'd really like to upgrade the HDD in it, but pulling it all apart down to the chassis seems like a lot of work. We'll see if that ever gets done.