Feeling Like an iChump, Lombard and Pismo Praise, Being a Late Adopter, Classic Mode, and More
Charles W. Moore - 2007.09.17
Pismo and Lombard Comments
From Travis Jay Patocka:
As an additional response to Edwards questions about which laptop to
get and why the Pismo is so popular,
let's not forget about repairs. Last summer I had to completely
disassemble my Lombard to change the
A/C sound card, and it was nice having a machine that was simple to
take apart, have room for your fingers, and be able to repair with
little to no frustration.
Face it, when you purchase an older machine things can and usually
will go wrong, but if you can repair it yourself for little to nothing,
that makes the deal even sweeter. I just checked the guides from
ifixit.com and found them to
pretty above average in terms of usefulness. I have never taken apart
an iBook G3 or G4, but according to the IT people at the school that I
teach at, it is no walk in the park to disassemble an iBook.
Thanks!
Travis
Hi Travis,
Good points. I certainly appreciate the relative ease
with which one can do surgery on the G3 Series PowerBooks' innards.
I haven't had occasion to repair very much on my
WallStreet and Pismos, but it certainly is a snap to change hard drives
and remove the processor card (which is necessary to get at the lower
RAM slot).
According to MCE Technologies:
"The hard drive in the iBook is not end-user, or
even dealer/service center, upgradable. Just accessing the hard drive
bay is a job involving the removal of over two-dozen screws, hex-nuts,
plastic parts, and very small, sensitive, electronic components. If the
proper level of anti-static protection is not maintained and the
take-apart procedure not properly documented then a successful upgrade
is nearly impossible...."
Charles
Say It Isn't So!
From Adam Goff:
Good Evening Mr. Moore,
How are you my friend? It's been a while since we've last spoke, so
I hope that all is going very well with you. I just caught your interview with Tommy Thomas on LEM;
it was a very good piece, and he seems to be making great strides with
his writing. It was also nice to learn more about the (in)famous
Charles W. Moore!
There was one section of the interview however, that left me both
speechless and in need of further clarification:
"The Macs I liked the least were the 5000 Series
All-in-One desktop Performas and Macs of the mid-90s. My least favorite
laptop would be the PowerBook 150, with its
poverty of ports, no video out, and oddball IDE hard drive."
While I agree that the 5200s were seriously hobbled by Apple and an
overall disgrace to the family name, the later iterations - the
Power Mac/Performa 5400 & 5500 were fine little machines. I do so very much
hope that your comments were directed solely to the 5200.
Regardless of each version's respective internals, I always felt
that the entire 5000 series were handsome, well proportioned machines.
I may even go as far to say they were the most attractive Macs from the
beige-PowerPC era, especially compared to the "clunky,"
cobbled-together look of their immediate predecessor, the 68K
500-series.
Aesthetics aside, the upgraded components of the 54-5500s made them
very respectable machines, the 5500s in particular. While I have no
direct experience with the 5400, I still have a running 5500, and it
remains an excellent platform for the Classic OS. A 250 MHz 603e
running on a 50 MHz system bus (with available G3 upgrades), 128 MB of
RAM, standard IDE hard drives (currently a 5400 rpm 20 GB drive), PCI
expandability (mine is occupied with a USB card), built-in CD and
floppy (mine has been upgraded to a CD-RW), and built-in ethernet, all
of which is designed around an ingenious slide-out motherboard.
Of course this could all be nothing more than personal bias, as this
was the first Mac that I ever "hot-rodded." However, the old gal is
rock solid running 9.1 and she remains my main Classic machine. Every
one of the upgrades I have installed on the machine were done so
effortlessly, and I still have the option of installing a G3 processor
via the L2 slot; all of this speaks to just how great of a machine
these old all-in-ones really are.
If you still conclude that the entire 5000 series line were horrible
machines, then I must humbly, yet wholeheartedly, disagree with your
opinion. If so, it would be a momentous occasion, as I cannot really
think of a time where our opinions on a particular Macintosh were in
stark contrast to one another.
Either way, you know that I always respect and value your opinions
and sincerely appreciate all of the kind words and advice you have
given my way. I do however hope that your comment was mainly directed
at the 5200 and that you see the later versions as the fine machines I
believe them to be.
Take care, God Bless, and have a wonderful weekend!
Adam M. Goff
Hello Adam,
Thanks for your note.
Yes, it seems that I may have answered Tommy's
question too quickly and with less qualification than would have been
appropriate.
Indeed, I was referring to the 5200 series AIOs, and
it appears as if I may have slandered the later models in the 5000
series, of which I have no direct experience. I should have said 5200
and been done with it.
The 5200 was horrible - slow and cranky - and I've
never been a super-big fan of the 603e experience, but from your
description it looks like Apple fixed the 5200's most egregious
deficiencies in the later 5000s.
I agree with you that the 5000 AIOs were a lot better
looking than the earlier 500 series (I still have an LC 520, and it was
a faithful old workhorse, but a homely one to my sense of aesthetics.
However, I've never been terribly smitten with the styling of any of
the CRT AIOs since the original compact
Macs, which were a graceful and sublime piece of industrial design.
My fave AIOs for looks are the "gooseneck"
iMac G4s, although I do quite like the new Aluminum & Glass iMacs.
The slide-out logic board (first pioneered on the Color Classic, and used in the 500
series AIOs and 6xx series headless Macs had it as well) was indeed one
of Apple's better ideas - a stroke of genius that they abandoned with
the introduction of the iMac, and things have gone more or less
steadily downhill from there. The Alu-Glass iMac is reportedly a
nightmare to work on. Too bad.
Charles
Hawking Card on PowerBook G3
From Alejandro Manara:
Dear Charles
Could you please tell me if this item would work on a PB G3
WallStreet (#4753): Apple Mac Wireless PCMCIA PC WiFi Card OS X
10.1-10.4 Hawking
The seller insists it does, but you
wrote in Low End Mac about the Netgear WG511T...
many thanks
Hi Alejandro,
This item is listed on the Rokland eBay Store, along
with the system requirements specs. The listing say that it is also
compatible with Macintosh operating systems 10.0 through 10.4, so if
you have OS X installed on your WallStreet (which officially
supports up to OS X 10.2.8), it should work. It appears that there
are no drivers available for Mac OS Classic.
You will need to download OS X drivers for this card
from Hawking.
Charles
Maximal Apple Price Cut Ratio
From Steven Edwards:
Hello Charles:
In regard to your 2007.09.10 Low End
Mac column concerning price cuts and early adopters, I note that
the original Apple 23" Cinema Display was first priced at US$3,499. I
bought one (no regrets, it has been in use for nearly six years), and
not too long afterward the retail price dropped nearly 43% down to
US$1,999. I think that's the record.
I enjoy reading your columns; keep up the good work.
Steven
Hi Steven,
Yes. that's pretty extreme - a 43% price cut. I think
I would have been a little disgruntled.... ;-)
Charles
Feeling Like an iChump
From Brian:
Hi Charles,
As a faithful reader of yours and an early iPhone adopter, I wanted
to share my thoughts. Normally, I try not to get ahead of you on the
technology curve, but circumstances goaded me into buying the iPhone
about three weeks before the September kerfuffle. With a phone contract
up and a need for a new phone, I took the plunge.
I expected a $100 cut for the holiday season, and perhaps a doubling
of storage space. That seemed to be a reasonable early adopter penalty
for me. A $200 reduction is an order of magnitude greater than
expected. Plus, it made me feel like an iChump when people started
asking whether I bought the thing before the price cut. Imagine the
once proud owner of an iPhone actually hiding it from view. That's
certainly not want Apple wants.
But I have to say, I must be easily bought, because I am satisfied
with the $100 store credit. Apple made a quick recovery, but this was a
marketing blunder. I have bought Apple products through thick and thin,
and I have even been known to buy accessories from the Apple Store just
to support the company. I'm going to think twice before doing that
anymore. My brand loyalty was tested the other day. Even though Apple
loyalists have no other choice, I doubt their marketers will try a
maneuver like this again.
Brian
Hi Brian,
Thanks for the comment.
Under the circumstances, the $100 credit seems
reasonable. As you say, you were expecting a $100 price cut before
Christmas, although I don't think anyone thought the discounting would
start just 63 days after the initial release.
Sometimes events beyond our control do influence
purchase timing.
On his way home for Christmas 1999, my son's 14 month
old WallStreet was stolen on the bus by a couple of young punks. Both
we and the police knew who had taken it but couldn't prove it. I
digress.
Anyway as soon as the insurance settlement came
through, my son bought a new Lombard, even though he knew the Pismo was
coming soon, and it did arrive about a month later. He was working for
an Apple reseller at the time and so got a good deal on the Lombard,
which turned out to be an excellent computer, but I think he had a bit
of buyer's remorse, especially after OS X was released.
Charles
Hi Charles,
Thanks for your reply.
Your story about your son's stolen laptop reminds me that the single
biggest factor weighing my Mac buying decisions these days is my own
family's needs. I have tried the "hand-me-down" method, wherein I
purchase a new laptop (PowerBook G4), and and let my wife use my old
one (iBook G3). Well, after several months of feeling limited, she
handed down the G3 to my 12-year old and bought herself a MacBook. We
are all running Tiger right now, though we have not achieved complete
parity, as some of my boys' favorite games need a G4. With two boys (12
and 9), the buying calculus is getting more complicated. I'm trying to
figure out how not to get shellacked in the future.
One strategy I have learned is to tamp down temptation by not
bringing my family to the Apple Store, ever. I'm curious about other
Mac owners turned IT managers for their families. Perhaps a topic for
one of your columns?
Cheers,
Brian
Hi Brian,
Yes. My My wife inherited my old LC 520 first, then switched to a PowerBook 1400. When I got my 17" PowerBook, I demoted the Pismo to serving
as my number two machine and handed off the WallStreet to her, which
she is still using running OS 9.2.2, but an upcoming work related
requirement means she is going to need an OS X computer, so I'll
switch her to my G3 iBook, and use one
of my two Pismos as my "road" computer.
My kids are grown up, flown the coop, and on their own
in computer provenance now. ;-)
Thanks for the article suggestion. I'll ruminate on it
and see if anything gels.
Charles
Professional iBook Video Chip Repair Company
From Robert Eye:
Charles,
I don't know if you are aware of this company or not, but I thought
I'd pass along the info to you.
There is a company called First Phase Technologies in Tempe, AZ
(USA) that does board-level electronic repairs. Specifically, they do
reflow and re-balling of the video chip on white iBooks for a very
reasonable fee.
http://www.firstphasetech.com/ibook-repair-g3-g4.html
There was a lister on the LEM Swap List who offered two iBooks for
sale recently who had this repair done to both units; he seemed very
happy with the results. This is how I heard of the company (I have had
no personal dealings with them, and I am not affiliated with them in
any way).
You might wish to pass this along to your readers. Getting an
otherwise working iBook back up to speed for a reasonable cost
(especially if they can do the logic board removal themselves) might be
worth the investment.
Regards,
Robert Eye
Dallas, TX
Hi Robert,
Thanks muchly. I hadn't been previously aware of this
service. Looks like a good alternative to scrapping a misbehaving iBook
or paying through the nose for a new logic board.
The sticking point of course for most people would be
getting the logic board out. iBooks are mean to work on. However,
someone reasonably handy and with the assistance of iFixIt's teardown
guides should be able to do it with care and patience.
Charles
I'm a Late Adopter
From Michael:
Thanks for the great article (The
Costs and Dangers of Being an Early Adopter)
I too decided to go with a refurb G4 PowerBook (15" & 1.67). A
large factor in my decision to go with the G4 chip was my copy of Adobe
Creative Suite, first version. I'd read that PowerPC software ran
slowly on the Intel chips. I didn't want to have to spend the money to
upgrade all my software, too. I upgraded from a Snow 600 MHz iMac.
I read Low End Mac every day and find it both encouraging and
depressing. Encouraging because there are other people out there who
are trying to really use the full life of their computers; depressing
because it seems most upgrades are graphic glitz that require,
unnecessarily, much more processing power with no more
functionality.
Keep up the good work.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for the comment and for reading.
I'm still very satisfied with my 1.33 GHz PowerBook,
and I'm still very happy that it supports Classic Mode and has an
internal modem, which the MacBooks don't.
Yes, graphics support is the bottleneck factor these
days, and the reason why Leopard probably won't be a very satisfactory
performer even on the slower supported machines with modest graphics
cards and VRAM configurations.
Charles
Easy Cruising in Technology's 'Wake'
From Steve Gordon:
Thanks for the good column today. As the owner of a Pismo and a
Sawtooth, I too enjoy easy cruising in technology's 'wake'.
Keep up the good work!!
Steve Gordon
Hi Steve,
Glad you enjoyed the column, and glad to hear you're
still getting good use out of those machines.
Charles
PowerBook G4 and Classic Mode
From DFS:
Is that PowerBook you bought from TechRestore aluminum or
titanium?
I bought my iBook G3/700 from them.
Also, are you using Classic under Tiger. I like the old machines,
writing from a G4 DA right now, but
Microsoft Word 5.1a keeps me with Power PC and Classic. I bought
iText/Lightway Text, and it may do all I need. The problem will be
translating to and from the new Microsoft doc package, the Mac version
of which I guess isn't out yet. It doesn't look like MacLink Plus
translators will be updated anymore, either.
Best,
DFS
Hi DFS,
My PowerBook is a 1.33 GHz 17" aluminum unit - the
second generation of 17" PowerBooks that was introduced at Macworld
Paris in September 2003, and I think superseded by the 1.5 GHz model in
April 2004.
I absolutely am using Classic Mode with Tiger on the
PowerBook G4, my two Pismos, and my G3 iBook 700 MHz.
Incidentally, Word 5.1 seems to work just fine in
Classic Mode running from Mac OS X 10.4.10. I don't use it a lot
any more (I work mostly in Tex-Edit
Plus), but it's handy for opening my old Word documents.
Charles
Data Exchange with PowerBook Duo 2300c
From Seb Payne:
A PowerBook 2300c Duo has just landed
in my lap in pretty good condition. Few scuffs on the case but no dents
or breaks in the casing. One leg is missing off the back, but that's
it. I was wondering, Charles - what would you recommend to exchange
data with an OS X machine with? I have no Duo Dock - would you
suggest getting one, or can the built-in serial port be used? I have a
PowerBook G4 and MacBook Pro 17". Thanks!
Seb Payne
Hi Seb,
Email works for smallish stuff if you can get the Duo
online.
Back in the very old days, I used to network 68k Macs
using the serial ports and a printer cable, however, neither of your
newer 'Books has a serial port (and throughput was awfully slow anyway,
as I recall, even with contemporaneous small files. Email might be
nearly as fast).
Another workaround would be to upload your stuff to an
Internet storage site and then download it with the newer machines via
broadband, if it's available. That would speed things up a bit.
Ethernet would be ideal, but for that you would need
either a dock that supports ethernet or a PC Card ethernet adapter. You
probably need at least OS 8.6 and possibly OS 9 installed in order
to network via AppleTalk with the newer notebooks.
Charles
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