Miscellaneous Ramblings

Miscellaneous Ramblings Mailbag Index

2008

• OS X more efficient than Linux, Snow Leopard and PowerPC Macs, and Eudora woes, 2008.12.03. A user reports both Panther and Leopard run more smoothly and use memory more efficiently than Linux. Also thoughts on PowerPC abandonment in Snow Leopard and replacing Eudora in Leopard.
• Another way to run WeatherBug, Aspire One runs OS X, 17" MacBook Pro hi-res display, and more, 2008.11.25. Also finding that 'just right' notebook computer, car, or truck.
• Love my refurb MacBook Pro, Eudora forever, and the lightest AA batteries, Charles Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.11.18. Also questions about nVidia GeForce 8600 problems in earlier MacBook Pro models and importing Eudora mailboxes into Eudora successors.
• Refurb MacBook Pro value, MacBook too big to replace 12" PowerBook, Pismo noise, and more, 2008.11.12. Also installing OS X using FireWire Target Disk Mode, running Virtual PC under Leopard, and how to use filters in iCab.
• Best refurb MacBook Pro value, AirPort Card thermal issues, Opera vs. iCab, and more, 2008.11.05. Also more thoughts on the lack of FireWire on the Unibody MacBook.
• Attractive and ugly Macs, discontinued MacBook Pro value, and writing with TextEdit, 2008.10.30. Readers weigh in on the good, the bad, and the ugly of Macintosh design over the past 24 years.
• No FireWire on MacBook a deal breaker, getting Pismo working with AirPort, and Pismo screen replacement, 2008.10.29. For those with FireWire peripherals, the Unibody MacBook falls short. Also fixing a Pismo that won't recognize AirPort and replacing its display.
• 3 reasons to use a Mac, and Pismo troubleshooting, 2008.10.15. Why one Windows user is also a Mac user, a Pismo that can't see its AirPort card, and sources of kernel panics.
• The power of older Macs, why Vista only sees 3 GB of RAM, Wangwriter supplies, and more, 2008.10.08. Also the end of an era as MIT HyperArchive shuts down and another suggestion for profiling Windows computers.
• Tiger great on old G3 'Books, maximum RAM for 867 MHz PowerBook G4, and more, 2008.10.01. Also why 4 GB of RAM in a 32-bit Vista PC wastes most of the last gigabyte and system profile software for Windows PCs.
• Car seats for computing, ThinkPads vs. Mac 'books, power outages, and more, 2008.09.24. Also Time Machine and hard drive failure, more on early portable PCs, UPS for the Mac mini, IMAP and dial-up, and more.
• Portable Mac as primary vs. secondary computer, looking at ThinkPad design, and more, 2008.09.17. Also learning from the Mac Portable, upgrading a PowerBook 5300, another free app to assure maintenance routines are run, and more.
• In praise of rugged Mac notebooks of the past, POP3 vs. IMAP email, and buying glasses online, 2008.09.11. G3 PowerBooks were the high water mark for ruggedness, expandability, and reliability. Also the benefits of POP3 email for dial-up users, and another article praising online eyewear.
• Routine maintenance tasks still run inconsistently in Leopard, 2008.09.10. Apple has been trying to get routine maintenance scripts to run consistently since the release of Mac OS X 10.4, but users are still reporting problems under 10.5.4.
• Only Leopard runs routine maintenance tasks after startup or waking from sleep, 2008.09.04. Mac OS X 10.5 runs routine system maintenance scripts as soon as possible after starting up or waking up your Mac. Earlier versions of OS X do not do this.
• Another free POP3 provider, recharging a dead PRAM battery, current Kanga value, and more, 2008.09.03. GMX email now available in US, Panasonic UJ-841S drive won't burn discs, restoring a dead PRAM battery in a Pismo, and thoughts on Kanga value today.
• Resurrecting a dead Pismo, Spotlight search tip, and EasyFind a good file finder, 2008.08.27. Lots of tips on bringing a comatose Pismo back to life, a Spotlight file name search tip, and EasyFind as an alternative to Spotlight.
• Pismo won't start, Spotlight finds too many files, and Panasonic SuperDrive in Pismo, 2008.08.20. Resetting a dead Pismo, an alternative to Spotlight gives better results, and success with the Panasonic UJ-850 drive in Pismo PowerBooks.
• Using Word 5.1 files with later versions of Word, keyboard marks on a MacBook screen, and more, 2008.08.14. Also the value of Panasonic's UJ-850 for older PowerBooks and shipping concerns about the SteelPad mousepad.
• Why choose OS 9 today?, OS 9 WiFi security, mousing with Parkinson's, and more, 2008.08.06. Limitations of using OS 9 today, putting a Panasonic SuperDrive in a Pismo, and the best pointing device for those with Parkinson's.
• A use for bad RAM, WiFi security for OS 9, Steve Jobs' health, and more, 2008.07.30. Also tricking out your notebook, Belkin's portable power hub with USB, and upgrading to Mac OS X 10.2.
• Buying glasses online, iCab on G3 iMacs, USB adapter for WallStreet, long term support, and more, 2008.07.16. Also whether a 1.67 GHz PowerBook is a sensible choice, midrange or top-end the best value, Opera can change the way you work on the Web, and more.
• Leopard best OS for G4 PowerBooks, support expectations from Apple, back to Opera, and more, 2008.07.09. Leopard features worth a little performance compromise, depreciation and the best value Macs, voice dication software for PowerPC Macs, and more.
• Depreciation game a gamble, best OS for 12" PowerBook, Opera 9.5 fast with unique features, and more, 2008.07.02. The depreciation game requires educated guesses, Tiger the best OS for a 12" PowerBook, why Opera rocks, and a Mac using sci-fi writer who loves the free market.
• Praise for Opera, low cost iBook mobo replacement, IrDA and IRtalk, WaMCom recommended, and more, 2008.06.18. Also the use of 'compleat', booting from CD, new Toshiba 1.8" drives too thick for MBA, and PowerPC support and Snow Leopard.
• Skip 867 MHz 12" PowerBook, iBook sleeps when touched, Netscape 7.0.2 keeps crashing, and more, 2008.06.11. Also getting a copy of the Mac OS for a Power Mac ONE, and whether it can run Linux.
• Netscape 7 for OS 9, Compact Flash faster than hard drive in PB 1400, MacSpeech Dictate, and more, 2008.05.28. Also using VNC over a network so two Macs can share one monitor and the VTBook graphics upgrade for Pismo.
• 1 display with 2 Macs, flash memory for file transfer, Quicksilver or TigerLaunch?, and more, 2008.05.21. Also running a PowerBook 1400 from Compact Flash, format=flowed for email, and OS 9 nice for browsing without Flash.
• Pismo battery and screen problems, Zip vs. hard drive for backup, and MacBook Air packaging, 2008.05.07. Diagnosing battery problems and a fuzzy screen on a Pismo, backup options for Power Macs, and the small size of the MacBook Air's packaging.
• Troubleshooting Eudora, backing up a Beige G3, and why Macs are green, 2008.05.01. Problems getting help with Eudora, backup options for a Power Mac G3, and how the long-term usefulness of Macs makes them environmentally friendly computers.
• Picking the right 'Book, clamshell iBook memories, and alternatives to SCSI-to-USB, 2008.04.23. Choosing a good used 'Book for Classic, remembering the clamshell iBooks, and alternate options to avoid spending $99 on a SCSI-to-USB adapter.
• 18 bits can't display millions of colors, today's magic is different from yesterday's, and more, 2008.04.16. Also more feedback on Mac browsers, slow dial-up Internet, and a SCSI-to-USB 2.0 solution.
• Frustrated with Opera and Firefox, classic form factors, 18-bit color, and more, 2008.04.09. Problems with Mac browsers, the sufficiency of 18-bit color, design classics, and the magic of Macs and baseball.
• Fading magic at Apple, Major League Baseball's rebound, and an iMac that won't boot from a CD, 2008.04.02. Reflections on Apple's success as a business, CD-ROM problems in a G3 iMac, and Pismo processor problem solved with thermal paste.
• Newer iPods not compatible with Panther, iCab great with OS 9, and backing up to Eudora 6.2.4, 2008.03.19. Newer iPods require recent versions of iTunes, QuickTime, and OS X. Also iCab may be the best browser for Mac OS 9, and stepping back from Eudora 8 to 6.2.4.
• Maximum MacBook RAM, booting PowerPC Macs from USB, Eudora 8 'different', and more, 2008.03.12. Also possibly replacing a 1.33 GHz PowerBook with an Intel-based 'Book and recent iPod incompatibility with Panther.
• Solid State Drive experiences, OS 9 browsers, Tiger install problems, and more, 2008.03.03. A longtime SSD user weighs in, browser options for Mac OS 9, problems installing Tiger using Target Disk Mode, Odysseus to replace Eudora, and Office 2008 questions.
• What is a 'reconditioned' laptop?, finding Tiger for an iBook, Pismo burning through CPUs, and more, 2008.02.18. Where to find a copy of OS X 10.4 for an iBook, 'reconditioned' vs. 'refurbished', Pismo problems, and political discussion on the Mac Web.
• MacBook Air upgradable enough?, Lombard cache problem, and more on the liberal-conservative debate, 2008.02.04. Another go around on whether Mac users are liberal or conservative. Also looking for an OS X driver for the Netgear WG511T.
• Picking a lapdesk, MacBook Air the new Cube?, Pismo won't start, and Entourage vs. Mail and Eudora, 2008.01.28. Looking at pads for notebook computers, why the MacBook Air is the new Cube, a Pismo that stopped working, and whether Entourage is a good alternative to Mail and Eudora.
• Liberals, conservatives, and Mac users, 2008.01.28. Readers weigh in on whether Mac users are liberal, conservative, green, or socialist.
• DRM in Mac OS X, Ubuntu and BSD as alternatives to OS X, the power of Eudora, and more, 2008.01.14. More thoughts on Apple's digital rights patent and OS X, free non-DRM alternatives to OS X, Eudora and dial-up, and adding AirPort to a white iBook.
• Dialup fix for Leopard, scripting for cooler laptops, the Griffin iMate battery, and more, 2008.01.02. Also Eudora as the 'correct' email client, a fan of the Mozilla version of Eudora, and another text processor for Mac OS X.

2007

• Other great USB keyboards, cooler running laptops, the value of old G3 Macs, and more, 12.17. Other alternatives to Apple's aluminum keyboards, booting OS 9 from RAID, weak AirPort reception, and cool running notebooks.
• Cooler laptops, a G4 recording studio, a fast Unicode text editor, and phantom email, 12.03. Quieter, cooler running notebooks, a Power Mac G4-based recording studio using Mac OS 9, a fast text editor with great Unicode support, and phantom email in Mail in OS X 10.3.9.
• Classic still useful, a cooler running MacBook, Panther vs. Tiger for text editing, and more, 11.19. Classic is far from dead, Text Edit in Tiger slower than in Panther, the case for a quieter laptop, Buffalo WiFi in Pismo, and Word files on an 800K floppy.
• Dell's 802.11g card for PowerBooks, glad for the death of Classic, FireWire cams, and more, 11.05. Also silent computing with 'obsolete' Macs, Leopard and the 867 MHz limit, and Tiger performance on a 600 MHz G3 iBook.
• iBook G3 quality, 802.11g for older PowerBooks, installing Tiger on a CD-ROM eMac, and more, 10.29. Also FireWire webcam options for the classic Mac OS and installing Leopard on an upgraded Power Mac G4.
• WiFi options for Lombard, installing Tiger on a DVD-less eMac, 3D home design software, and more, 10.01. Two PC Card 802.11g options for the Lombard PowerBook, PowerPC version of OS X needed for eMac, three programs for home design, and a source for downloading old Mac software.
• Feeling like an iChump, Lombard and Pismo praise, being a late adopter, Classic mode, and more, 09.17. Also the 'Road Apple' x200 series, Apple's biggest hardware price cut, iBook video chip repair, data exchange with a PowerBook Duo 2300, and more.
• iBook unreliability, iBook G4 AirPort problems, RAM for a PowerBook 1400, and more, 08.27. Pismo vs. iBook as the more reliable portable, catastrophic iBook failure, and a Pismo that won't recognize new hardware.
• A light touch keyboard, PowerBook 520c questions, moving a G3 iBook from 10.2.8 to 10.3, and more, 08.13. Also running QuickBooks on Intel-based Macs, 'Book magnets causing CRT problems, and wondering about the $150 Linux laptop.
• OS X on a G3, FireWire Disk Mode missing in action, Panther on a Power Mac, and more, 07.16. Also glossy displays are sharper, where to get Netscape 7, two OS X replacements for MacDraw, and an iBook power problem solved.
• No new Macs for me, irreplaceable classic Mac apps, unexpected Navigator 9 slowdown, and more, 06.27. Also Netscape 7 the best browser for classic Macs, MacBook and MagSafe magnets and CRT displays, and replacing MacDraw Pro.
• Unmatched Classic Mac OS apps, TiBook reliability, Matias Tactile Pro 2.0 disappoints, and more, 06.18. Also Netscape 7 and 9, MacBook causing problems with iMac's display, and graphics cards for a Power Mac G4 and an ADC display.
• A whisper quiet notebook drive, Pismo runs cool with 7200 RPM drive, upgrading from OS X 10.1, and more, 06.06. Also WallStreet wireless faiure, 12" PowerBook G4 reliability, and Pismo's fan rarely kicks in.
• Best video card for a G3 Power Mac, upgrading vs. buying a newer Mac, many OS 9 fans, and more, 06.04. Also iCab is outdated and sluggish, where not to obtain OS 9, installing OS X using FireWire Disk Mode, and troubleshooting a Mac from Linux.
• Most durable 'Book, prepping a blue & white G3 for OS X, 7200 rpm drive too hot for Pismo?, and more, 05.21. Also how the need to run "Tiger" is a problem, an iBook G4 with serious shutdown issues, and burning CDs at a lower speed may make them easier to read in older Macs.
• Apple on mini CDs, 74 minute CD-Rs more compatible, iBook G4 reliability, and more, 05.14. Also installing OS X using Target Disk Mode, partitioning your hard drive, Google's tool to simplify web pages, Canada and copyright law, and more.
• Gmail with old browsers, Mozilla 1.3.1 on OS 9, Intel Core CPUs 'really open up' with RAM, and more, 04.23. Also Mac OS 9 software development, a stinky iBook, possible solution to problems reading CD-R on old Macs, choppy iTunes video, and more.
• Clamshell iBook upgrades, choppy iTunes video, Netscape 7 for Mac OS 9, and more, 04.09. Also fixing flash drive problems with Disk Utility, problems booting a secondhand iMac, PowerBook ramblings, and more.
• Drag and drop problems with flash drive, troubleshooting a Mac with Linux, G3 video problems, and more, 03.27. Also FireWire boot drives, bootable partitions, bootable external DVD drives, and maximum hard drive size on older Macs.
• Maximum drive size in older Macs, 12" PowerBook 'the new Pismo', best browser for archiving, and more, 03.21. Also WiFi cards for PowerBooks, video problem with a blue & white G3, installing OS X using NetBoot, and more.
• Troubleshooting an iMac and possible Pismo overheating, 03.19. Figuring out what's wrong with a G3 iMac that won't boot properly and possily spurious temperature readings from Gauge Pro.
• Pismo Spotlight woes solved with simple fix, 03.16. After working for 8 months, Tiger's Spotlight indexing had simply stopped working. Here's why - and the easy solution to the problem.
• Why OS X 10.2 is best for Classic, switching to Opera, installing Tiger on a B&W G3, and more, 03.05. Also thoughts on Firefox, modem problems on a Pismo with OS X 10.4, and connecting an Apple Studio Display to a MacBook.
• OS X 10.2 best for Classic?, Tiger on a Blue & White G3, salvaging an iBook hard drive, and more, 02.12. Why Jaguar may be the best OS X for Classic mode, getting Tiger on a DVD-free Power Mac G3, transplanting a dead iBook's hard drive, and Mac service sources in Bogota, Columbia.
• OS X 10.3 or 10.4 on a G4/533?, Lombard to Pismo hard drive swap, 'Book repair, and more, 01.29. The best OS for a G4/533, migrating by swapping hard drives, WallStreet and iBook repair and replacement options, and upgrading RAM in Lombard.
• PC Card WiFi for OS X PowerBooks, installing Classic for OS X, Gmail problem with Shiira, and more, 01.15. A low-cost WiFi PC Card for PowerBooks running OS X, tips on installing Classic under Tiger, Gmail broken with Shiira 1.2.2 browser, and stimulating a flashd rive on pre-USB PowerBooks.
• Classic install with Tiger, OS 9 browsers or plugins?, other 'fastest' Macs, and more, 01.03. Also a failed Tiger install via FireWire, simulating a flash drive on a 5300, Word 5.1 documents in the modern world, PowerBook power supplies, Xubunto for older Macs, and "Other Red".
• More in the Miscellaneous Ramblings Mailbag 2001-04 Archive and Miscellaneous Ramblings Mailbag 2005-06 Archive.

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