Low End Mac Reader Specials

TypeStyler For Mac OS X is Now Shipping! Download The Free Fully Functional 60 Day Tryout at www.typestyler.com

OWC: Get the Right Memory / Ram for your Mac. Top Quality, Competitive Prices, Lifetime Warranty. Expert Support and Video Installation Guidies too! 4.0GB Matched Sets from $87.99, Options up to 32GB. Click here

Poker Mac Don't install Parallels to play poker online! Poker Mac will show you how to download and install a native Mac poker application such as Full Tilt Poker Mac.

Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.

Compare products like desktop computers, apple laptops, apple macs, and LCD Monitors side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for new mobile phones, sat nav systems, or MP3 players. The Ciao online shopping community makes searching products easy for you.

Quicklinks: · Power Macs · 'Books · Early Macs · Week's Best Deals · Best Buys · OS Downloads

My First Mac

Internet Article Leads to Mac Addiction

Alan O'Neil - September 2002

I am a sophomore in high school, and I have seen my fair share of computers. The first computer I really remember using would be one of the Apple IIes in the computer lab back in third grade (seven years ago!) for Oregon Trail ("Please turn the disk over, then press the space bar"). Ah, good times.

The first computer that I owned was an Compaq running Win95. We had that for a while and then upgraded to another Compaq, with WinME (ewwww).

All through this time I had worked with Macs at school, usually in the form of the Power Mac 5xxx series. I had never really given Macs much thought as usable computers, and even bashed them sometimes. (One mouse button?!? You're kidding!) But I finally saw a diary of one IIcx user on the Internet and said to myself, "I have got to get me one of these!"

So I got on eBay and found myself a respectable IIci with 8 MB RAM and a 160 MB hard drive for $20. In another auction I bought a 24-bit NuBus video card for it. I plugged in a nice 15" SVGA monitor and an adapter, then watched in millions of glorious colors as it booted. I've been hooked ever since.

I began asking around at my high school, for I had seen lonely LC IIs hanging around on a shelf, collecting dust. But every time I inquired, I was told that they had to go through the district warehouse to be legally surplused (rats).

I managed to buy a Performa 400 with a StyleWriter and modem (the Performa and modem are going to my grandma for use as simple email and Internet computer. I am keeping the StyleWriters until the district lets me get my hands on the LaserWriter Pro sitting PowerBook 100outside a hallway) from another student. I rescued a PowerBook 100 (currently DOA) from a friend for $20. Then I acquired a Power Mac 7100/66av.

I went to REPC in Seattle and found loads of Mac stuff. I bought three 12" monitors for $5 each. Then, while browsing the "as-is" section, I spied a lonely little Mac Classic in the corner. I grabbed it faster than you can say "it's mine!" Lo and behold, it had the memory expansion board and a 40 MB hard drive - all for $5! I plan to paint the case and keyboard a lovely silver, and accent the keys with translucent blue.

I have yet to break myself from the bonds of the PC, but as soon as I get a router, my brother and I will be able to share our broadband Internet using our Macs (I am loaning him my 7100). I am planning to purchase a load of Pluses, LCs and/or LC IIs and making a small ethernet/PhoneNet network.

I can dream about that 17" iMac, can't I?

Share the story of your first Mac experience by emailing with "My First Mac" as your subject.

Recent My First Mac articles

Links for the Day

  • Mac of the Day: 17" iMac G4/800 MHz, July 2002 - The iMac 'grows up' with a 17" 1440 x 900 display.
  • Group of the Day: LisaList supports Lisa users.
  • November 8 in LEM history: 99: OS 9: I think I like it - 01: The simplified Mac life - Soured on Windows - Flea market Mac - 02: Little room for improvement in new 'Books - Combo drive upgrade for iceBooks - 04: Re-Porter - 05: Fix the old iMac or buy a Mac mini? - Apple's Copland project - 06: MacBook Core 2 - MacBook value equation - Cheap is as cheap does - 07: Problems with Classic mode in Tiger - The G4 Power Mac that won't run Leopard
  • Support Low End Mac

Recent Content on Low End Mac

Recent Deals

  • Best Mac Pro Deals, 11.03. Used 2.66 GHz 4-core, $1,300; 3.0 8-core. $2,299; refurb 2.66 4-core Nehalem, $2,149; 2.93, $2,549; 2.26 8-core, $2,799; 2.93, $4,999.
  • Best iPhone Deals, 11.03. New 8 GB iPhone 3G, $$99; refurb 16 GB 3GS, $149; new, $199; 32 GB, $299.
  • Best 12" PowerBook G4 Deals, 11.03. Used 867 MHz SperDrive, $348; 1 GHz, $499; 1.33 Combo, $298; SD, $559; 1.5 Combo, $448; SuperDrive, $589.
  • Best Power Mac G3 and PCI Video Card Deals, 11.02. Used beige 300 MHz, $25; G4/366, $49; blue & white 350, $80; 400, $90; 450, $105; PCI video cards from $15; shipping additional.
  • Best Power Mac G4 and AGP Video Card Deals, 11.02. Used 400 MHz, $50; 733 MHz, $69; 933 MHz, $209; 1.25 GHz dual, $299.
  • Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, 11.02. Used 2.0 GHz, $800; 2.2, $900; 2.4, $1,000; refurb 2.53, $1,449; 2.66, $1,699; 2.8, $1,949; 3.06, $2,169; new 2.53, $1,579; 2.66, $1,799; more.
  • Best Mac mini Deals, 10.30. Used 1.33 GHz G4 mini, $379; 1.42, $389; 1.5, $419; 1.83 GHz Core Duo, $350; Core 2, $439; new 2.26 GHz nVidia, $580; 2.53 GHz, $770; Server, $990.
  • Best G4 iBook Deals, 10.30. Used 12" 1.07 GHz Combo, $225; 1.33 GHz, $298; 14" 1 GHz, $349; 1.33 GHz, $398; 1.42 GHz SuperDrive, $498.
  • Best Classic Mac OS Deals, 10.30. System 6.0.8 floppies, $10; 7.1, $12; 7.5, $20; 7.5 CD, $4; 7.6 $13; 8.1, $11; 8.5, $20; 8.6, $90; 9.0, $20; 9.2.2, $30.
  • More deals in our archive.

Go to the My First Mac index.

Custom Search

Amazon.com

Navigation

Used Mac Dealers
Apple History
Video Cards
Email Lists

Favorite Sites

MacSurfer
MacMinute
MacInTouch
MyAppleMenu
InfoMac
Macs Only!
The Mac Observer
Accelerate Your Mac
RetroMacCast
PB Central
MacWindows
The Vintage Mac
   Museum

DealMac
DealsOnTheWeb
Mac2Sell
ramseeker
Mac Driver Museum
JAG's House
System 6 Heaven
System 7 Today
the pickle's Low-End
   Mac FAQ

Abandonware
   Petition

Mac vs. PC Info

Affiliates

The Apple Store
Mac Connection
B&H
MacMall
TechRestore
ExperCom
Crucial Memory
batteries.com

Advertise

Open Link