Most people don't need the latest and greatest in computer
technology. Low End Mac has
traditionally covered the older, cheaper, less capable computers.
However, there comes a time when something is just too old for
certain tasks.
My recommendation when most people ask me if I can find them a
good, cheap, secondhand computer is to go for a PCI Power Mac. A
basic setup can be had for under $200, which includes the computer
with at least a gigabyte of storage, 64 MB of RAM, a monitor, and a
modem. These computers can take USB/FireWire cards, ATA cards, and
higher performance video cards, as well as G3 upgrades. They're very
capable machines for very little money and make for a great household
computer for a family.
I try to keep people away from the 6400
and 6500 series. Personally, I
love the things. I think the case design is great and the sound
system is excellent. Unfortunately, they have a fairly low RAM limit
(136 MB) and only two PCI slots. While there is onboard ATA, it is
very slow. The G3 upgrade cards do not integrate as seamlessly as
they do into other PCI Power Macs. The nice case and sound system do
add to the price a lot, as well.
On the plus side, Apple's TV/Video system is excellent. If you
want to capture low resolution videos or watch television, these
machines are great. Due to the lack of expansion, I wouldn't
recommend them to a family or college student, but they make a great
secondary computer to have for children to do school assignments,
listen to music, or watch television on. They can be expanded
somewhat as needs increase, but all solutions leave something to be
desired.
As far as I see it, the NuBus Power Macs are history. This is not
to say that they aren't good machines; my mother's primary machine is
a 7100/80 with 136 MB RAM and a
Newer Tech G3 upgrade. But it is impossible to add USB, FireWire, or
ATA to it, and the G3 upgrades can sometimes be a little sketchy. You
can run Mac OS 9, Micro$oft Office 2001, and AppleWorks 6.2 on
them, and the 6100 is nice as
small. If all you need to do is write documents and handle email,
something like the 6100 would work just fine.
The 68k series are still good machines. If you need a $10 computer
to write an essay on, or something for your three-year-old to
discover computing on, or something for a teenager to "learn about"
(read: break), an LC III or
Quadra work great. They will
word process, browse the Internet, write emails, and chat on the more
popular instant messengers, but for all of these tasks you must use
older versions of software. This is not always a problem for most,
but it can cause headaches as far as compatibility goes. If you write
something in ClarisWorks and email it to a buddy on a PC, Word 2000
may not open it. Likewise, HTML 4 support in 68k browsers is poor at
best.
While you would have a nice $10 computer, its value would be
precisely that. A computer nearly eight years old cannot be expected
to keep up with the features of newer computers, and things that seem
easy on new machines suddenly become a huge task on the older
machine. The frustration this can cause is frequently worth the extra
$50 or so to get something like a 6100.
The key to value computing, in my opinion, is not to budget too
low. Even if you're just looking for a machine for your grandparents
to send you email from, try to look past that $10 SE
and closer to a $50 6100. If the difference seems large to you, start
looking at other expenses you have. Lunch at McDonald's costs about
$5. A blender or a pair of jeans will cost you $30.
A computer is both an appliance and an entertainment device; by
spending just a little bit more for a low-end Mac, you can get
something that better fits your needs. Decide what your price range
should be, then add an extra $50 "just in case."
Andrew W. Hill (a.k.a. Aqua) has been using
Macintosh computers since 1987 and maintains that the
Mac
SE is the perfect Macintosh, superior to
all - including the Color
Classic. He is on the verge of being
evicted from the family home due to its infestation of Macs (last
count: about 50). Andrew is attempting to pay his way through college
at UC Santa Cruz with freelance Web design and Mac tech
support.
Recent articles by Andrew W. Hill
California vs. Kazaa, 2003.01.22.
Can a California court have jurisdiction over an Australian software company?
Switching off Mac OS 9, 2002.09.12.
No more booting into OS 9 with 2003 Macs -- is it a bad thing?
The different world of Hong Kong, 2002.07.17.
So many differences in Hong Kong -- only the PowerBook 2400c seemed to really fit in.
Mac of the Day: Macintosh Portable, introduced 1989.09.20. The nearly 16 lb. behemoth was innovative but not a smashing success.
February 13 in LEM history: 01: Layoffs may hurt Mac market - 02: Unix for the Mac - Rage against the Macintosh - 03: Options to move data from PCs to Macs - 04: Low cost RAM for older 'Books - 06: Apple, IBM, and Intel - 07: Picking the right cheap computer, new or used - 08: I needed to find an older Mac
Mac and iOS Browsers: Options Galore, Freeware Forum, 2012.02.10.
Safari is adequate on Mac and great on iOS, but the range of good alternatives is stunning. LEM writers share their favorites.
LogMeIn: Remote Screen Sharing for the Rest of Us, Alan Zisman, Zis Mac, 2012.02.09.
Configuring the Mac's built-in screen sharing to work over the Internet can be difficult or impossible. LogMeIn makes it easy.
15 Years Ago Motorola Unveiled the PowerPC G3, Low End Mac Round Table, 2012.02.06.
The G3 processor was optimized for real world Mac software and made a big leap forward in efficiency.
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