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Recycled Computing

There's Still a Place for G3 Macs in the Age of Leopard

- 2008.09.09

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It's time for me to face facts. While my old G3 iMac functions as a print server for my home network, it has really ceased to function as a viable computer. I use my Pismo for all of my computing needs, and as a result, I don't turn on the old G3 very often. Of course, when I want print something, I have to turn it on.

I may take the old sage G3, hook it up to my stereo system, and use it to play my iTunes library. It would save the wear and tear on my vinyl and cassettes and shuffle my tunes effortlessly.

sage iMac

As you can see in the next photo, the old gal has every thing but the kitchen sink attached to her:

ports on iMac

Still, do not cry for me, Cupertino. The high school I work at has just purchased brand new (at least to us) computers for the the labs I supervise. In our Writing Center we have new 17" (plastic) iMacs.

In our newly named Graphics Lab, we have 20" brushed aluminum iMacs.

graphics lab All of the new Macs use the same disk image, so I will be getting used to Leopard as an operating system. Since I will be using Apple Remote Desktop, the same disk image and same machines means less trouble running scripts and whatnot.

Now, if I can just get Leopard on my school desktop....

As the Apple turns, progress dictates that Intel chips rule, and we PowerPC owners will have to concentrate on the workarounds, old software libraries, and dodges to keep our beloved Pismos, G3s, G4s, and G5s running.

I will still be using my Pismo until they pry it from my cold, dead fingers. I type all my articles for Low End Mac using this 9-year-old laptop and see no reason to stop using this wonderful keyboard.

I just sent my daughter off to college equipped with her iBook G4.

If you have to send your prodigy off to school, consider the Pismo route. You can still buy them cheap, and it's easy to add more memory and a larger hard drive. As long as you don't need up-to-date graphics capability, a Pismo has the connectivity and software (I run "Tiger" OS X 10.4.11 with only 512 MB RAM) to work for a typical college student. If you happen to have an old AirPort Card or 2.5" hard drive lying around, so much the better. (No AirPort Card? Check out WiFi Cards for PowerBooks with PC Card Slots for 802.11g options.)

Trust me, the Pismo is that easy to work on.

And even though I have Intel chips in my labs, I still have a Pismo in my heart.

Recent Recycled Computing Columns

Replacing the Hard Drive in a Clamshell iBook, 11.19. Yes, it is one of the most difficult Apple notebooks to disassemble and reassemble, but a 10 GB hard drive just will not do.
Macintosh Remote Control with Chicken of the VNC, 10.06. Sometimes you want to or need to control another Mac remotely. The free Chicken of the VNC program is a great tool for doing exactly that.
Upgrading a Pismo PowerBook with a Slot-load Drive Salvaged from an iBook, 10.01. Starting with a spare DVD-ROM module and the SuperDrive from a G4 iBook, the author ended up with a SuperDrive in his Pismo PowerBook.
Why the 20" iMac Is Perfect for Home or School, 09.29. The aluminum iMac has plenty of power and screen space, yet it's small enough and light enough to tote from place to place.
More in the Recycled Computing index.

Links for the Day

Mac of the Day: Power Mac G5 Quad, Oct. 2005 - With two 2.5 GHz dual-core G5 CPUs, the G5 Quad was the most powerful PowerPC Mac ever and introduced PCI Express.
Group of the Day: Mac Network deals with all aspects of Mac networking.
November 21 in LEM history: 00: OS upgrades, downgrades - AltiVec vs. Pentium III - 01: Saved by the clones - Computer of the future - 02: Apple Education: Let's get to it - 03: Panther lets Macs and PCs work together, - Lombard SCSI bug - 05: 3 survivors from the 1970s - Real world battery life inadequate - Windows to Mac file transfer with Zip disks - $99 alternative to Microsoft Office - 06: Parallels 1.0 far more polished than beta
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Best eMac Deals, 11.18. Used 1 GHz Combo, $100; SuperDrive, $269; 1.25 GHz Combo, $119; SD, $319; 1.42 GHz Combo, $289; SD, $498.
Best Mac OS X 10.6 and Mac Box Set Deals, 11.18. "Snow Leopard", single user, $25; 5 users, $45; Mac Box Set, single user, $139; 5 users, $180; Server, $414. Shipping included.
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Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, 11.17. Used 1.83 GHz, $750; 2.16, $800; 2.33, $900; refurb 2.4, $1,299; 2.53, $1,449; 2.66, $1,699; 2.8, $1,899; new 2.53, $1,579; 2.66, $1,799; more.
Best Power Mac G4 and AGP Video Card Deals, 11.17. Used 400 MHz, $50; 933 MHz, $80; 500 dual, $60; 867 dual, $90; 1 GHz dual, $150; 1.25 GHz dual, $225; 1.42 GHz, $499.
Best Mac OS X 10.5 Deals, 11.17. "Leopard" upgrade, $80; single user license, $135; 5 users, $173; Mac Box Set, 5 users, $230; Server, 10 users, $340; unlimited, $850. Shipping included.
Best Mac mini Deals, 11.16. Used 1.42 GHz G4 mini, $379; 1.66 GHz Core Solo, $419; 2.0 Core 2, $450; new 2.26 GHz nVidia, $580; 2.53 GHz, $769; Server, $990.
Best iBook G4 Deals, 11.16. Used 12" 1.07 GHz Combo, $210; 1.33 GHz, $298; 14" 1.33 GHz, $398; 1.42 GHz, $479; SuperDrive, $498.
Best iPod shuffle Deals, 11.16. Used 1 GB, $35; 4 GB, $65; refurb 1 GB, $39; 2 GB, $59; new 2 GB, $55, 4 GB, $75. New and refurb prices include shipping.
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