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The Usefulness Equation
Modding Your Old Mac to Make It More Useful
- 2008.10.09 - Tip Jar
Popularity: 
Bookmark in
del.icio.usAs our Macs mature and get newer software, they can lose the ability to perform even lightweight tasks with reasonable speed. Upgrading is one way to improve their useful longevity, as I discussed in Know your Mac's Upgrade Options.
However, there is another method: Modification (or "modding") is the practice of reengineering something to your own specifications.
Ambiguous as that definition might be, it really is as simple as that. The viability of your ideas is the limit to what you can do. Think of it as an art form: If there are things about your Mac that you've wanted to change or perhaps just spice it up a bit, this is the way to go.
I do realize the term's reputation. Your modded Mac doesn't have to be painted in bright neon colors with lights hanging out of every orifice in the case and be cooled by six thousand fans.
A good example of lightweight mods are sound enhancements. Some of Apple's models (The Mirrored Drive Door G4s, for example) came with quite loud power supply fans. A 45 minute modification process (which is well documented on Accelerate Your Mac), and the noise is significantly lower.
If you're like me, you love the aesthetics of some of your Macs. However, not all machines have the power to maintain themselves for what you need. My favorite method for solving this problem is building a faster Mac inside the vintage Mac's case. For working examples of this process, check out my Twenty First Century Mac and Charles Mangin's "Marvin".
It can be the
opposite: You may hate your Mac's case. (I'm sure there is somebody who
does.) Re-casing is also a popular mod for older desktops. Check out
the Silent ATX
G4 by Todd Anderson.
Crippled machines make great mod projects. Have a laptop with a cracked screen but don't have the heart to throw it out? Mod it, like Richard Hunt did with his MacMidi. Being that the machine is crippled, your mod's design must fit into certain guidelines to get around the problem. You could easily end up turning an inconvenient problem into a nifty feature.
If you're afraid to touch your expensive Mac Pro (or perfect condition Classic) with a Dremel and screwdriver (I deeply sympathize), I recommend starting with a cheap and easy machine. Wegener Media has Blue & White G3 towers for $9.99 (no hard drive, no optical drive, add shipping). I really don't think there is a better starter machine than the B&W G3. These will most likely be the Rev. 1s, so keep that in mind when purchasing.
Having an inexpensive, expendable machine allows you to jump in with more confidence. You will learn much quicker this way. Theodore Roosevelt said it best: "One thing is sure. We have to do something. We have to do the best we know how at the moment. If it doesn't turn out right, we can modify it as we go along." You can always change your plans if you encounter problems along the way.
As I recommended with system upgrades, it's best to do copious amounts of research before beginning. Also, try writing or drawing your ideas out on paper before exercising them.
If you are looking for a starting
point or perhaps just want to take a look into some mods, I highly
recommend MacMod.com. They have a
multitude of guides to get started, as well as daily news in the
Macintosh modding community.
I just want to leave you with this last mod, the iBoy by sirljohns. The iBoy is proof that mods are not limited to computers, so keep that in mind.
On a closing note, if you love your Mac (old or new) in it's stock form, shoot me an email and tell me why you wouldn't change anything about it.
Good luck and happy modding! 
Recent Columns by Phil Herlihy
- Max Miller, Solo Musician, 08.21. An interview with Max Miller, solo musician and Mac user.
- Lombard PowerBook: Almost a Pismo for Less, 06.18. Although Pismo has the huge following, Lombard provides comparable performance of often sells for quite a bit less.
- 12" G4 iBooks and PowerBooks Are Mac Netbooks: Cheap and Powerful Enough, 02.05. Recent tests comparing a 1.33 GHz G4 iBook and a 1.6 GHz Atom-based netbook show the old Mac holds its own. It also has some advantages.
- Heat Management for 'Books and the Last Mac to Run OS 9.1, 01.08. Tips on keeping a first-gen MacBook Air from throttling back with CoolBook, using G4FanControl with a G4 PowerBook, and the fastest Mac that can boot Mac OS 9.1.
- More in the The Usefulness Equation 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: System 6 is the email list for those who choose System 6.
- November 21 in LEM history: 00: OS upgrades, downgrades - AltiVec vs. Pentium III - 01: Saved by the clones - Computer of the future - 02: Apple Education: Let's get to it - 03: Panther lets Macs and PCs work together, - Lombard SCSI bug - 05: 3 survivors from the 1970s - Real world battery life inadequate - Windows to Mac file transfer with Zip disks - $99 alternative to Microsoft Office - 06: Parallels 1.0 far more polished than beta
- Support Low End Mac
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- Apple's Tablet an End Run Beyond Netbooks, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 11.20. Whatever Apple has planned will leverage existing technologies while going beyond what its competitors can offer.
- i5 iMac Benchmarked, Mac mini 'Shouldn't Be Overlooked', Twitter Client for Classic Mac OS, and More, Mac News Review, 11.20. Also why Apple leaves the low end to others, 10.6.2 fixes video playback problem in 27" iMac, 3D Leopard and Snow Leopard performance, and more.
- NASA Chemical Sensor for iPhone, Smartphone Death Match, iPhone Earrings, and More, Ian R Campbell, 11.20. Also mobile phone dangers, new apps, GPS solution for iPod touch, new iPod and iPhone cases, and more.
- Apple #4 in Reliability, Apple Tablet a Gadget for All?, HP's i7 Notebook Outdoes Mac Rivals, and More, The 'Book Review, 11.20. Also Flash 10.1 improves video on Hackintosh netbooks, thin-and-light notebooks impress, Windows XP finally on the way out, and more.
- Replacing the Hard Drive in a Clamshell iBook, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 11.19. Yes, it is one of the most difficult Apple notebooks to disassemble and reassemble, but a 10 GB hard drive just will not do.
- IBM Model F: A Great Old Keyboard with an Outdated Layout, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 11.19. Although it used a different technology than the revered IBM Model M keyboard, the Model F was a great keyboard in its own right.
- Soft Touch Keyboards, Wireless Mouse Options, Loving SeaMonkey 2, and More, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 11.18. Also the future of browsing with PowerPC Macs and the multiple mouse input bug introduced with OS X 10.5.8.
- More links in our archive.
Recent Deals
- Best eMac Deals, 11.18. Used 1 GHz Combo, $100; SuperDrive, $269; 1.25 GHz Combo, $119; SD, $319; 1.42 GHz Combo, $289; SD, $498.
- Best Mac OS X 10.6 and Mac Box Set Deals, 11.18. "Snow Leopard", single user, $25; 5 users, $45; Mac Box Set, single user, $139; 5 users, $180; Server, $414. Shipping included.
- Best Xserve Deals, 11.18. Used 1 GHz dual G4, $649; 2.3 dual G5, $795; 3.0 4-core Xeon, $1,899; refurb 2.26 4-core, $2,499; new, $2,888; refurb 8-core, $2,999; new, $3,449; more.
- Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, 11.17. Used 1.83 GHz, $750; 2.16, $800; 2.33, $900; refurb 2.4, $1,299; 2.53, $1,449; 2.66, $1,699; 2.8, $1,899; new 2.53, $1,579; 2.66, $1,799; more.
- Best Power Mac G4 and AGP Video Card Deals, 11.17. Used 400 MHz, $50; 933 MHz, $80; 500 dual, $60; 867 dual, $90; 1 GHz dual, $150; 1.25 GHz dual, $225; 1.42 GHz, $499.
- Best Mac OS X 10.5 Deals, 11.17. "Leopard" upgrade, $80; single user license, $135; 5 users, $173; Mac Box Set, 5 users, $230; Server, 10 users, $340; unlimited, $850. Shipping included.
- Best Mac mini Deals, 11.16. Used 1.42 GHz G4 mini, $379; 1.66 GHz Core Solo, $419; 2.0 Core 2, $450; new 2.26 GHz nVidia, $580; 2.53 GHz, $769; Server, $990.
- Best iBook G4 Deals, 11.16. Used 12" 1.07 GHz Combo, $210; 1.33 GHz, $298; 14" 1.33 GHz, $398; 1.42 GHz, $479; SuperDrive, $498.
- Best iPod shuffle Deals, 11.16. Used 1 GB, $35; 4 GB, $65; refurb 1 GB, $39; 2 GB, $59; new 2 GB, $55, 4 GB, $75. New and refurb prices include shipping.
- More deals in our archive.
