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Why do you use powerpc, over similarly priced comps?

The reason I sometimes own PowerPC machines is because of pure interest, they are bit different than normal PC's are (well, CPU architecture is very different 🙂 ). Fixing and even attempting to fix is interesting, sometimes.

But I don't prefer them over Windows PC's of the same price range because in the end functionality is what counts and PPC machines do have limitations here and there.
 
While teachnically compatible, I have had nothing but God awful experiences with modern software on old Dell Pentium 4 towers from the PPC era.

Sure, you can give it 2GB RAM, pop in a GT7600 and windows 7...but oh my is the performance almost unusable. It's like a low end G3 and Leopard. Video playback is unbearable, Internet pages load very slowly, and even file browsing has to load every window.

Sure, old PC's are supported for longer...but that really depends on what you call support O.O
 
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I really like old laptops and I also like having something other than an i386 or amd64 architecture. No real reason; I Just do. I'd love to get a Tadpole SPARCbook for that reason. I have always loved the feel and design of PowerBooks too. The fact that they can run a modern OS that I really like makes them even better.

That said, I don't use them over similarly priced non-Apple laptops. I regularly use a T60 from 2006 or so which cost $50. My main machine is an X201. As much as I like my PowerBooks, both my ThinkPads have them beat in terms of usability, upgradeability, and performance. The PowerBooks do get very frequent use though.
 
556fmjoe said:
I really like old laptops and I also like having something other than an i386 or amd64 architecture. No real reason; I Just do. I'd love to get a Tadpole SPARCbook for that reason. I have always loved the feel and design of PowerBooks too. The fact that they can run a modern OS that I really like makes them even better.

That said, I don't use them over similarly priced non-Apple laptops. I regularly use a T60 from 2006 or so which cost $50. My main machine is an X201. As much as I like my PowerBooks, both my ThinkPads have them beat in terms of usability, upgradeability, and performance. The PowerBooks do get very frequent use though.
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I agree, old PC laptops don't have to be 'crappy.' ThinkPads are exceptional machines, as are the magnesium bodied HP NCs. And a retro Panasonic Toughbook has just about everything beat!
 
tevion5 said:
Sure, old PC's are supported for longer...but that really depends on what you call support O.O
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I think if operating system maker still provides updates to fix security issues it means that the OS is still supported. Of course there are different amounts of supports in general, some apps or services requiring you to upgrade even though the older os would still receive updates etc.

Also usually when OS is at some level supported by its maker it's also supported by app developers. PowerPC OS X is pretty much abandoned.

It has always been easier to get service and replacement parts for PC's, atleast if they have been built by using generic parts.
 
I think the notion of weighing up Mac Vs PC is entirely relative to the prices you find.
For example, when I was looking for a 12" Powerbook, one in great condition would set me back £150 off ebay - I've just had a quick look to see what that would buy me from ebay in PC land..a 2.4Ghz i5 Thinkpad with 4Gb RAM.
Now at that kind of comparison, going PPC would mean you're desperate to have a Powerbook at any cost!
I love my Macs but my dedication will never stretch to throwing money away.
 
Dronecatcher said:
I think the notion of weighing up Mac Vs PC is entirely relative to the prices you find.
For example, when I was looking for a 12" Powerbook, one in great condition would set me back £150 off ebay - I've just had a quick look to see what that would buy me from ebay in PC land..a 2.4Ghz i5 Thinkpad with 4Gb RAM.
Now at that kind of comparison, going PPC would mean you're desperate to have a Powerbook at any cost!
I love my Macs but my dedication will never stretch to throwing money away.
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Regards the 12" powerbook, to bad you didn't get in on that last ebay blowout where the seller sold 22 of them for $46 each.
I managed one myself and am extremely pleased with it.
 
Dronecatcher said:
I think the notion of weighing up Mac Vs PC is entirely relative to the prices you find.
For example, when I was looking for a 12" Powerbook, one in great condition would set me back £150 off ebay - I've just had a quick look to see what that would buy me from ebay in PC land..a 2.4Ghz i5 Thinkpad with 4Gb RAM.
Now at that kind of comparison, going PPC would mean you're desperate to have a Powerbook at any cost!
I love my Macs but my dedication will never stretch to throwing money away.
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That is true, once you reach a certain price point, you can find PCs with much better specs easily, however below a certain price point I couldn't imagine similar era pcs holding up to the Macs from the same era today.
 
jbarley said:
Regards the 12" powerbook, to bad you didn't get in on that last ebay blowout where the seller sold 22 of them for $46 each.
I managed one myself and am extremely pleased with it.
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Yes, I did see that - and US prices are better but I'm too weary of a laptop surviving an overseas journey, 'unexpected' import taxes and the headache of returning something defective. I would say it's a miracle 40% of the items I buy from ebay work given the way they are packed!
 
L Oquence said:
That is true, once you reach a certain price point, you can find PCs with much better specs easily, however below a certain price point I couldn't imagine similar era pcs holding up to the Macs from the same era today.
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Yes, if you take a PC from 2003 and compare it to a G4 Powermac, it will be on it's last legs and junk more than likely, however, even a good example will probably cost a quarter the price of the G4.

Personally, I've had good experience buying older PCs and laptops but it's always the OS that disappoints - yes, there's always Linux but you have to compromise on apps.

Buying an older PPC you have assured quality of hardware and OS.
 
This is cursorily related, but I was watching the news a few minutes ago about an author. I don't remember her name or what she wrote, but in any case they showed her sitting on the couch typing on a Titanium Powerbook. The one she was using had an IRDA port, so I think that would make it first or second generation.

That's a laptop that's at least 13 years old, and still getting work done for that particular author.
 
bunnspecial said:
This is cursorily related, but I was watching the news a few minutes ago about an author. I don't remember her name or what she wrote, but in any case they showed her sitting on the couch typing on a Titanium Powerbook. The one she was using had an IRDA port, so I think that would make it first or second generation.

That's a laptop that's at least 13 years old, and still getting work done for that particular author.
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I love the principle there - perhaps someone not remotely interested in computers buying one for a specific task (in this case writing) and continuing to use it because it still does what it was meant to.
There'll be thousands of PPC users out there with no interest or concept of Intel and upgrades - they'll have bought the best back then and will still be using it.
 
Dronecatcher said:
I love the principle there - perhaps someone not remotely interested in computers buying one for a specific task (in this case writing) and continuing to use it because it still does what it was meant to.
There'll be thousands of PPC users out there with no interest or concept of Intel and upgrades - they'll have bought the best back then and will still be using it.
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Speaking for myself, I'd much rather type on my TIBook than on my MacBook Pro. I've typed a LOT on the MBP, but the Ti keyboard is many times better.

Admittedly, though, I've been using an AEKII so much lately that I've been spoiled by it.
 
jbarley said:
It must be noisy sitting that close to your ear level.
I know my MDD was the noisiest computer I've ever owned no matter what I tried to muzzle it.
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I've never had a MDD until now and I've read in many places they were noisy computers. To my surprise this unit I'm using now is no louder than my PowerMac G5 (which is pretty quiet in my opinion). The MDD was built in March 2004, so it's actually newer than my G5. I guess they used less noisy fans.
 
tom vilsack said:
If this is the case then there is either something wrong with your Asus T100,or you have some type of software install on it thats slowing it down. Have you tried removing all the crapware on it? As much as I also love a good pb G4,there is no way it can handle web pages as well as a t100!
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This is not unbelieveible. My eMac and my MDD (back when it was a single 1GHz) is WAY faster than a bone stock OEM XP Install on my Optiplex GX270. the optiplex has a 2.66GHz processor.
 
Beavix said:
I've never had a MDD until now and I've read in many places they were noisy computers. To my surprise this unit I'm using now is no louder than my PowerMac G5 (which is pretty quiet in my opinion). The MDD was built in March 2004, so it's actually newer than my G5. I guess they used less noisy fans.
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I actually bought a MDD back in 2012 from advice from members on here. All of them said the MDD is the most powerful and best G4 you can get. They also say that it is loud. My MDD never was. It replaced a mPC ClientPro 345 case. The computer had 6 fans. My MDD was no louder (until I added rear CPU exhaust fans.

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Dronecatcher said:
Yes, if you take a PC from 2003 and compare it to a G4 Powermac, it will be on it's last legs and junk more than likely, however, even a good example will probably cost a quarter the price of the G4.

Personally, I've had good experience buying older PCs and laptops but it's always the OS that disappoints - yes, there's always Linux but you have to compromise on apps.

Buying an older PPC you have assured quality of hardware and OS.
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I run Linux on my DELL Insprion 1420 Laptop and using Wine it will run virtually every windows program i need.
 
MatthewLTL said:
This is not unbelieveible. My eMac and my MDD (back when it was a single 1GHz) is WAY faster than a bone stock OEM XP Install on my Optiplex GX270. the optiplex has a 2.66GHz processor.
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The 1Ghz eMac was made in 2003/2004, the MDD G4 2002/2003. Google reveals the Optiplex GX2740 is from around 2003/2004. Back then a P4 2.6GHz would be found a low to mid-range computer.

It's not surprising that a Mac from the same time period is faster than the PC. You're comparing PPC and Pentium 4 clock speeds, which is comparing apples and oranges (no pun intended). One of the reasons Apple (I believe) switched to Intel processors was because people would question buying a 1.5GHz Mac when for the half the amount of money you could buy a 3Ghz PC.

The Asus T100 is at the most a couple years old, so it should be a faster than a 10 year old G4. Usually what ruins a PC is malware and/or bloatware. I suspect that would be the case.
 
I use mine because they still WORK. I'm amazed that a 14 year old G3 and a 14 year old G4 can still chug along and do it well.

Until they finally blow up, I have uses for every machine I currently have. The G3 is now my mother's computer (she doesn't do anything that would murder the processor so it's still perfect for her). I have another G3 at work that is used as an audio library. The G4 is used at work and is becoming an OS 9 audio station. The G5 is used for games that run on OS 10.5, because it makes them SCREAM.

There's always a use for anything.
 
Just to echo what others have said, there's a certain satisfaction in keeping old machines alive and relevant--especially when their very longevity is a powerful argument in favor of causes you support; i.e., recycling over mindless consumerism, Macs over PCs 🙂P), good design over raw power, etc.

My 2001 Digital Audio G4 is probably one of the more extreme possibilities (not to brag--the credit for the CPU upgrade actually belongs elsewhere) for how long and how far you can push a Mac. Assuming the logic board or power supply doesn't give out, I plan to be using it well after its 20th birthday.
 
I don't use PPC machines exclusive of others, but in addition to other computers. I like playing around with my PPC Macs, but I also like playing around with my Intel Macs and my Linux PC.
 
L Oquence said:
Just curious why the people here prefer powerpc macs, over say, cheaper windows laptops like the HP Stream or something.
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I love my HP Stream 11. Cant find a bad review on it! Its a VERY well built chromebook-killer that boots really fast (as fast as my 2015 macbook air) and browses the web silky smooth and averages 10+ hours battery life
Its my primary "netbook" actually, when I dont wanna take my macbook air someplace questionable.

I still have love for my G4 iMac and my 466mhz SE iBook clamshell with its 32gb ssd I installed to make it much more "useable." Cant get past classic apple design.

Be nice to the HP Stream tho 😛 Try one out some time, it also has a fantastic keyboard 🙂
 
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