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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.

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.
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!)
If you find Leo's articles helpful, please consider making a donation to his tip jar.
Recent Collection Spotlight Columns
- PowerBook 180 Reincarnated, 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, 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, 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.
- The Enduring Value of the Pismo PowerBook, 07.27. The most expandable G3 PowerBook ever is nearly 10 years old, yet it remains a great value for someone looking for an affordable field computer.
- More in the Collection Spotlight index.
Links for the Day
- Mac of the Day: 15" MacBook Pro Core Duo, Jan. 2006 - The first Intel-based MacBook launched at 1.83-2.0 GHz, had several teething problems.
- Group of the Day: PowerBooks covers pre-G3 PowerBook users.
- March 15 in LEM history: 00: AOL 5.0 - 01: A Quadra after all these years - Setting up a floppy server - 02: Trade-ins could grow Apple's market - Upgrading an old G3 - 04: Lombard CPU upgrades - 05: Cleaning your Mac's hard drive - 06: 2.7 GHz dual G5 or 2.3 GHz dual-core G5? - MySQL and PostgreSQL - 07: Making floppies for older Macs
- Support Low End Mac
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- The Apple Patient, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 03.15. The used 12" PowerBook has a dead screen, missing key, damaged case, and minimal memory, but it does work.
- Why Run Leopard on Slow G4 Macs?, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 03.15. Tiger has lower demands and runs more smoothly on low-end Macs, but Leopard gives you access to more up-to-date software.
- Consumer Reports Rates Apple Tops, Macs Cost Less to Manage than PCs, 6 Core Mac Pro Soon?, and More, Mac News Review, 03.12. Also dreaming of a Mac mini on steroids, focus on word processiong, Ubuntu ditches brown for more Mac-like appearance, and more.
- iPad Ships April 3, iPhone Stand Made from Cutlery, Apple's Draconian Developer Agreement, and More, iNews Review, 03.12. Also an open letter to Steve Jobs, Apple bans cell phone radiation app, wireless iPhone charging with Case-mate Hug, new apps, and more.
- Apple Tops in Laptop Support, Rise of Netbooks Charted, 1 TB Bus Powered Hard Drive, and More, The 'Book Review, 03.12. Also Apple files for patent on notebook cooling technology, the Mac user and his i7 laptop, HP's latest Vivienne Tan netbook, and more.
- OS X 10.4 Tiger Still Very Usable on a 500 MHz G3 Mac, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 03.11. For writing and basic Internet access, a 500 MHz G3 provides sufficient power and Tiger provides fairly up-to-date software.
- WPA for Original AirPort, Stainless Browser, Multiple Input Bug Persists in Snow Leopard, and More, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 03.11. Also kudos for Shiira, G3 vs. G4 upgrade for Pismo PowerBook, and 17" PowerBook still suffices.
- iPad Gaming Potential, Dan Bashur, Apple, Tech, and Gaming, 03.11. Two years of developing games for the less powerful iPhone and iPod touch has prepared developers to unleash the iPad's potential.
- More links in our archive.
Recent Deals
- Best iPod classic Deals, 03.12. Used 20 GB, $119; 40 GB, $139; 60 GB, $159; 30 GB video, $129; 60 GB, $159; 80 GB, $169; refurb 120 GB, $189; new, $214; 160 GB, $228 shipped.
- Best G3 iBook and AirPort Card Deals, 03.12. 366 MHz 12" clamshell, $89; 466, $125; 500 white CD, $100; 600, $199; 800 Combo, $239; 14" 900, $225.
- Best Xserve Deals, 03.12. Used 1 GHz dual G4, $499; 2.0 dual G5, $599; 2.3, $749; refurb 2.26 4-core Nehalem, $2,499; new, $2,699; 8-core, $3,449; refurb 2.66, $4,299; new, $4,799; more.
- Best iPod touch Deals, 03.11. Refurb 8 GB, $149; 16 GB, $199; 32 GB, $249; 64 GB, $339; new 3G/8 GB, $184; close-out 2G/16 GB, $229; 3G/32, $270; 64, $355. Shipping included.
- Best Mac OS X 10.5 Deals, 03.11. "Leopard" one user, $180; upgrade from 10.4, $150; 5 users, $400; Server, 10 users, $493; unlimited users, $600.
- Best 17" MacBook Pro Deals, 03.11. Used 2.33 GHz, $1,099; 2.5, $1,349; refurb 2.66, $1,949; 2.93, $2,199; new 2.8, $2,249 after rebate; 3.06, $2,749.
- Best iPod nano Deals, 03.10. Refurb 4G/8 GB, $99; 16 GB, $119; 4G/8 GB, $129; 16 GB, $139; new 5G/8 GB, $134; 16 GB, $160. Shipping included.
- Best 15" PowerBook G4 Deals, 03.10. 1 GHz Combo, $400; 1.25 GHz, $460; 1.33 GHz SuperDrive, $539; 1.5 GHz, $550; 1.67 GHz, $589; hi-res, $800.
- Best iPod shuffle Deals, 03.10. New 3G/2 GB, pink, $53; other, $55, 4 GB, blue, $71; other, $73. Shipping included.
- More deals in our archive.
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