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My Turn is Low End Mac's column for reader-submitted
articles. It's your turn to share your thoughts on all things
Mac (or iPhone, iPod, etc.) and write for the Mac web. Email your
submission to Dan Knight
.
Being in the Navy, I find it hard to muster the financial strength
to go out and purchase new Apple products after they hit the showroom
floor. Most people will probably agree with me that Apple is the
flagship computer maker and can charge more because the quality and
longevity of their products is next to none. Still, Apple would
rather you purchase new units every few years. This brings me to a
sore spot: Apple support for older Macs.
Support for older Macs (pre-1998) is almost nonexistent, except
for downloads and the knowledge base. Most companies will charge you
for support of older units and get a pretty penny for that service.
Yes, support for old units is not a moneymaker for Apple. Pre-G3
machines are not even supported for Mac OS X. From a business
standpoint there is no real advantage to expending the finances to
support older equipment. Others must now bear the burden.
That is where Low End Mac comes
into play. LEM is taking over for the lack of support provided by the
manufacturer. It is a guiding light into the depths of Macintosh
through the ages.
If you are using a Compact or a pre-PPC Mac, do you really think
that Apple has the resources to help you if you are having problems
finding the right browser or would like to know what memory to use? I
don't think so; most PC users don't have to deal with machines 5-10
years old, because they were obsolete the day they were purchased,
and require frequent upgrades. So PC companies don't even think about
older unit support.
Mac users, on the other hand, can go on using the same machines
for years without ever having to upgrade. Apple having to support
older equipment is a financial burden and keeps them from their core
business of new unit sales and development. That is why Apple cannot
afford to keep support around for older units.
Dan Knight and the team at Cobweb
Publishing (the publisher of LEM) have filled the gap. They would
like to see that
Plus stay a usable computer
for whomever. There are people out there who would love nothing more
than to be given a Performa 630
CD. For a new user this might be the perfect machine. Without
guidance on what to do for upgrades, where to go with problems, or
just simple system facts about the computer, the new user might never
know what they can or can't do with their older machines. LEM has
taken over the job of tech support when others have stopped.
LEM currently gives away what other companies charge for. With the
information they provide you may no longer have to spend money having
others do your upgrades. With the assistance of LEM you can do the
job yourself for the most part. Whereas before you might have paid
labor fees in a computer shop to get your memory and hard drive
upgrades, you can do it yourself to avoid all of the extra costs that
you might incur due to labor.
Finding out what software works the best or what hardware is
compatible is another LEM specialty.
LEM has stated numerous times that ad income has fallen short in
these Internet hard times. I say that $2-5 a month would be a small
price to pay for a wealth of knowledge not given out anywhere else.
When the subscription charges start (if that is the route chosen), I
will be standing outside the door six hours early - like at a new OS
release. I want to keep a Mac user's "must" online and in
business.
I say great job, Dan and crew, and keep up the good work; we are
here for you.
Share your perspective on the Mac by emailing with "My Turn" as your subject.
Recent My Turn articles
Using Low End Macs for Internet Radio, 08.18.
When the local public radio station moved classical music to HD radio, it was time to find another way to listen. An old iMac with iTunes solved the problem.
'That's Not a Computer', 07.30.
Salvaging a broken PowerBook by turning it into a desktop computer.
My 4 favorite PowerBooks, 05.28.
The PowerBook 150 has a big screen for a vintage PowerBook, the 165c has color, the 100 is diminutive, and Lombard has USB and a great keyboard.
Mac of the Day: PowerBook 190cs, Aug. 1995 - The last 680x0-based PowerBook could take a PowerPC upgrade.
List of the Day: The iPod List The iPod List is a forum to discuss the iPod, it's accessories, the iTunes Store, iTunes, and related topics.
August 28 in LEM history: 95: PowerBook Duo 2300 - 00: Gaming on older Power Macs - 01: AppleShare on Linux - From Beebs and Acorns to Macs - 02: Sleep of Death, - Think smarter? - It's the software, stupid - 06: PowerBook 5300 reminiscence - You might be a Mac fanatic if... - Hiding complexity behind elegant simplicity
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Running Windows apps on a Mac without paying for Windows is great in theory, but actually getting Windows software working is another story.
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The most recent Mac update was over four months ago, and the Mac mini has been unchanged for over a year.
Best Intel iMac Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.27.
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The key is to avoid spending more on upgrades than the final use of the machine can justify.
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Used 2.16 GHz Core Duo, $1,330; 2.33 C2D, $1,689; refurb, 2.4, $1,899; new, $2,099; 2.5, $2,558 after rebate; 2.6 Santa Rosa, $2,399 a/r; more.
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Mac OS X Has More Problems than Vista, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 08.25.
All it takes is a simple Google search to demonstrate that Mac OS X has more problems than Windows - and way more than Vista.
8 Free POP3 Email Options, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 08.25.
In recent years, a lot of free POP3 email providers have started charging or left the field. Here are 8 choices you may want to consider.
iPod touch or Cowon A3: What's a Mac User to Choose?, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 08.25.
For Internet access and integration with the Mac, the iPod touch is the way to go. But for media recording and playback, the Cowon has it all over the iPod.
Upgrading Your Lombard PowerBook G3, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 08.25.
Step-by-step instructions for getting inside the Lombard PowerBook to upgrade RAM, replace the hard drive, and swap out the CPU card.
Best Power Mac G3 and PCI Video Card Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.25.
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