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My tired but indefatigable workhorse PowerCenter Pro is chugging along
nicely, thank you very much. Darn it.
Now don't get me wrong, I love my box. It's a fantastic piece of
equipment that just won't quit. Bought at a fire sale when Apple
bought PowerComputing in 1997, this machine has been to hell and
back without a hiccup. Hardly a thing has gone wrong with it, and
PC friends always stare at me with a little awe when they hear how
long it's been going. Some friends replace their PCs every 18
months. They don't replace them because they want a faster machine,
but because their old machines give them way too many headaches.
Granted, getting a machine from "the guy on the corner who gave me
a deal" might not be the soundest buying decision, but still.
Because of my machine's longevity, it now looks like a bloody
Frankenstein. Much like a life support system, it's had quite a few
upgrades to keep it running with the big boys (or at least keeping
them in sight on the straight-aways).
I've never really cared too much for the processor wars. Some
friends like to brag about their 1.5 GHz machines and their
up-to-date (read: just replaced) systems. Of course, all that speed
makes hardly a whit of difference in the types of chores that most
folks use their machines for.
Now, the souped up Mac is a horse of a different stripe
altogether. I do get processor envy when someone trots out a
spanking new G4 and runs it through the paces. I think of my ol'
beige machine and darn it if I don't think of just handing it over
to someone else and getting with the 21st century.
Blame my Dutch practicality, but I can never seem to bring
myself to plunk down the cash to make the leap. I just can't
justify buying a whole new machine when my current machine serves
my needs just fine, thank you very much.
Of course, I'd love to have an excuse to throw my hard-earned
money at a nice G4 with all the trimmings - but I don't. And all I
can do is blame PowerComputing and Apple. If those two companies
had a handle on "planned obsolescence," I wouldn't be in the pickle
I'm in now.
And with the G5 waiting in the wings, it's only going to get
harder to keep my hands off my wallet. Damn you Apple! Damn you -
and thank you.
Stephen Van
Esch is the founder and president of
the
E-learning Foundry, an online training
resource for Mac users. Steve loves the Mac and is doubly bilingual,
since he's also fluent in Windows and French.
Recently on Mac Scope
Connecting with the broader Macintosh community, 04.06.
"But beyond the very minor celebrity status that came with being published on Low End Mac, it gave me a real opportunity to participate in the Mac community."
Hardware failure, that rare Mac headache, 07.09.
Macs are usually pretty reliable, but a hardware failure after just two-and-a-half years is still disappointing.
Mac of the Day: 15" iMac G4/800 MHz, Jan. 2002 - The iMac is redesigned with a flat panel display and G4 CPU.
Group of the Day: Mac Canada is our list for Canadian Mac users.
December 1 in LEM history: 99: Monitor dot pitch - 00: Macs for new users - Everybody wants to use iMacs - Career options - 03: Pfinder: Panther-like Finder for legacy Macs - 04: Why I use an eMac, iBook, and Power Mac - ThinkFree Office - MacLink Plus 15 - 05: PowerBook 190 still a great laptop - Eudora, the Mac's most powerful email client - 06: Core 2 'Books cooler and faster
Recent Content on Low End Mac
The Very Best Macs: Sometimes Apple Just Nails It, Andrew J Fishkin, Best Tools for the Job, 12.01.
Apple has produced lots of good Macs, a few dogs, and some 'best of breed' models that stand apart from the pack.
Apple Could Buy Dell, and Linux Is No Threat to Mac OS X, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 12.01.
Apple has the cash to buy Dell outright, and the idea has some merit. Also, why Linux still isn't ready to displace the Mac OS.
Will Snow Leopard Support Some PowerPC Macs?, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 11.26.
It just doesn't make sense that Apple would ship a new OS that won't support Macs sold less than three years ago.
Apple Retail Will Break Records This Christmas, Tim Nash, Taking Back the Market, 11.26.
"Despite all the economic problems, Apple Retail can look forward to another successful quarter with sales maybe breaking through $2 billion...."
Old Macs in the New Economy, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 11.25.
"We are the kings of making our computers last, last, and last some more."
Virtualization Shootout: VirtualBox 2 vs. VMWare Fusion 2, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync, 11.25.
VirtualBox is aimed at a different audience than Fusion and Parallels. While it works well, the typical desktop user will probably prefer Fusion.
Software to Keep Your MacBook Cool, Phil Herlihy, The Usefulness Equation, 11.25.
Heat is the enemy of long hardware life. Two programs to keep your MacBook running cooler.
Best Mac Pro Deals, 12.01.
Used 3.0 GHz 4-core, $2,102; new 2.66 GHz 4-core, $1,949 after rebate; 2.8 4-core, $2,099 a/r; 8-core, $2,515 a/r; 3.0 $3,320 a/r; 3.2, $4,099 a/r.
Best MacBook Deals, 11.26.
Used 1.83 GHz, $595; 2.0 SD, $660; refurb 2.1 GHz, $949; 2.4, $999; black, $1,099; new 2.1, $869 after rebate; 2.4, $1,150 a/r; black, $1,194 a/r; more.
Best iPod touch Deals, 11.26.
Used 1G/8 GB, $160; refurb, $179; new, $198; used 16, $200; refurb, $219; refurb 32, $319; new, $340; 2G/8 GB, $219; 16, $289; 32, $379.
Best Power Mac G5 Deals, 11.26.
Used 1.6 GHz single, $450; 1.8, $499; dual, $600, 2.0, $800; 2.3, $816; dual-core, $1,000; 2.5 dual, $1,000; 2.7, $1,050; 2.5 Quad, $1,400.
Best MacBook Deals, 11.26.
Used 1.83 GHz, $595; 2.0 SD, $660; refurb 2.1 GHz, $949; 2.4, $999; black, $1,099; new 2.1, $869 after rebate; 2.4, $1,150 a/r; black, $1,194 a/r; more.
Best Mac mini Deals, 11.25.
Used 1.42 GHz G4 Combo, $429; 1.66 GHz Core Duo, $449; 1.83, SuperDrive $629; new 1.83 Core 2 Combo, $570 shipped; 2.0 SD, $760 shipped.
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