Collection Spotlight

The Death, Salvage, and Resurrection of Old Macs

- 2009.07.20 - Tip Jar

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I can't believe that it has been almost two years since I took a break from writing for Low End Mac. For a while there, I thought I was permanently done with writing this column, as life kept hitting me with curve balls - but I've managed. It looks to be the perfect time to start writing again.

PowerBook 100 with floppy drive
A PowerBook 100 and floppy drive.

A lot has been happening. First, there was the move to a new house (actually, my grandparents old house), where a couple PowerBooks (100 and 180) bit it in the move. This house has been one big project. Lots of TLC has gone into it, and we have only gotten started cutting through the 25 years or so of slack maintenance.

Blue and White Power Mac G3 I have gained and lost a couple dozen Macs, including some I was using as primary machines. My faithful Blue & White G3 was retired and parted out to a 1.25 GHz eMac. I recently brought my 1.2 GHz iBook G4 back to life and attempted to restore it to its former glory. Two Pismo PowerBooks in my possession have died, as well as an iBook G3 - and just recently the 1.2 GHz iBook G4 succumbed to GPU failure.

My primary - in fact, only - machine at present, I hate to say, is an EEE PC 1000H netbook running Windows XP. At least for now, my articles will be in Microsoft Word format, but creating using Word 2003, not 2007.

Starting College

This machine ties into the next big thing in my life: College.

Last fall, a year-and-a-half after finishing high school and a year after graduating, I enrolled in college. It's a two-year degree, but the program is accelerated, and I feel this will be enough at the moment to get a job, even in the current Michigan economy. [Editor's note: Last week they announced 15.2% unemployment here in Michigan, which continues to lead the nation in joblessness. dk]

Another big thing that has kept me away from writing is family. I tend to put them ahead of myself most of the time, but less so since I started going back to school. There is a silver lining in that department, though. I try to keep my personal life private, but I want to mention I've been in a long term relationship for almost two years now, and the Mrs. (well, not quite yet, but someday) keeps me busy as well.

Well, I think that is enough explaining my whereabouts for now. I am looking forward to writing more for LEM. I enjoy writing, and it's a good way to share my knowledge, relax, and think. I am still getting email on the ten articles I wrote almost two years ago, and I appreciate it.

Look for more Collection Spotlight columns in the near future. I hope to put out one article per week, but there might be more. The next one will look at the Pismo PowerBook, one of my favorite Macs.

P.S. If you guys want to know what is going on with me 24/7, please follow me on Twitter. (Yes, I finally got one of those, as does Low End Mac. I love living on the trailing edge of technology!)

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Recent Collection Spotlight Columns

PowerBook 180 Reincarnated, 2009.09.01. The dead PB 180 had once been king of the PowerBook line. Thanks to a PowerBook 165 and some part swaps, it was brought back to life.
Apple's Largely Forgotten QuickTake 150 Digital Camera, 2009.08.10. Apple was the first to market with a sub-$1,000 digital camera, the fixed focus, VGA resolution, Mac- and PC-compatible QuickTake line.
Beige Power Mac G3: Maximum Power Then, Great Value Now, 2009.08.03. The world's most powerful personal computer when it was introduced in November 1997, the beige G3 still has a lot to offer anyone looking for a very low cost, powerful Mac.
More in the Collection Spotlight index.

Links for the Day

Mac of the Day: Mac IIfx, introduced 1990.03.19. This 'wicked fast' 40 MHz Mac trumped the 33 MHz DOS world.
February 14 in LEM history: 98: A perfect compact Mac - 00: Extended computer warranties worth the cost? - Making your PC work with your Mac - 01: Customize Microsoft Word - 02: Quadra revives a passion for computing - 03: Real world performance - DIY Pismo screen replacement - Best Mac for writing - 03: Fastest browser on the Mac - 06: 15" MacBook Pro - Impressions of a newly acquired Lisa - Finding and using free WiFi - Apple should liberate OS 9 - 07: New Mac mini cheaper than upgrading a Power Mac - 08: Falling in love with OS X
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