We believe in the long term value of Apple hardware. You should be able to use your Apple gear as long as it helps you remain productive and meets your needs, upgrading only as necessary. We want to help maximize the life of your Apple gear.
Low End Mac’s Compleat Guide to the WallStreet PowerBook G3, Charles W Moore, ‘Book Value, 2008.05.05. Introduced 10 years ago, the PowerBook G3 had a whole new design, a faster system bus, 2 expansion bays, 2 PC Card slots, and plenty of options.
Low End Mac’s Compleat Guide to Mac OS 9, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.05.12. Mac OS 9 remains fast and stable, but Classic software hasn’t kept up with the changing internet. Which Macs support OS 9, where to buy it, and how to update to 9.2.2.
WiFi cards for PowerBooks with PC Card slots, Simon Royal, Tech Spectrum, 2008.08.12. PC Card and CardBus 802.11b and 802.11g cards known to be compatible with Apple’s PowerBooks.
Backing up your G3 PowerBook quickly and easily, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 2008.10.27. Who needs Leopard and Time Machine? With an expansion bay hard drive and the right software, you can have a bootable clone ready for use.
$40 802.11g CardBus WiFi card for OS X 10.3 and later, Charles W Moore, ‘Book Value, 2009.03.10. Whether it’s the Buffalo or Belkin card, it has the same Broadcom chipset as Apple’s AirPort Extreme and needs no special drivers.
Optimized Software Builds Bring Out the Best in Your Mac, Dan Knight, Low End Mac’s Online Tech Journal, 2009.06.30. Applications compiled for your Mac’s CPU can load more quickly and run faster than ones compiled for universal use.
Mac ‘Book Power Management Adventures, Charles W Moore, ‘Book Value, 2009.05.19. If your ‘Book won’t power up, shuts down while your working, or has other power issues, resetting its internal power manager may clear things up.
11 years later, WallStreet PowerBook still productive, Charles W Moore, ‘Book Value, 2009.05.04. Introduced on May 4, 1998, the PowerBook G3 Series had lots of power and a curvaceous new design that lasted until the Titanium PowerBook arrived in 2001.
Is It Worth Maxing the RAM in Old G3 and G4 Macs?, Simon Royal, Tech Spectrum, 2009.04.15. Increasing memory can make your old Mac faster and make you more productive, but it probably won’t improve resale value by the amount you spend.
My Apple laptops: Past, present, and future, Charles W Moore, ‘Book Value, 2009.03.31. Looking back at the WallStreet, Pismo, and PowerBook G4 while moving ahead with a Unibody MacBook.
The 25 most important Macs, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2009.02.17. The 25 most significant Macs in the first 25 years of the platform, continued.
Notebooks and blackouts, Charles W Moore, ‘Book Value, 2008.12.23. When the power goes out, a notebook computer with long-lasting batteries lets you keep working for hours and hours.
The ‘Better Safe Than Sorry’ Guide to Installing Mac OS X Updates, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.12.16. Most users encounter no problems using Software Update, but some preflight work and using the Combo updater means far less chance of trouble.
Why You Should Partition Your Mac’s Hard Drive, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2008.12.11. “At the very least, it makes sense to have a second partition with a bootable version of the Mac OS, so if you have problems with your work partition, you can boot from the ’emergency’ partition to run Disk Utility and other diagnostics.”
Every working computer is useful to someone, Allison Payne, The Budget Mac, 2008.11.19. Whether it’s a PowerBook 1400, G3 iMac, or Power Mac G4, it could be all the computer someone needs.
Getting the most from your G3 Mac, Simon Royal, Tech Spectrum, 2008.10.03. Most G3 Macs can be upgraded so they can run Mac OS X 10.4 ‘Tiger’ quite nicely. Here’s how.
Environmentally Responsible Retirement for Old Macs, Rick Lawson, Pioneers in Mac Development, 2008.06.13. After you’ve scavenged what useful parts you can from your old Mac, what’s the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of the rest?
Bring back the Macintosh Portable, Charles W Moore, ‘Book Value, 2008.09.09. Not to fault today’s MacBooks, but there’s something to be said for a no compromise, very expandable, portable Macintosh as well.
Are G3 Macs still viable work machines?, Simon Royal, Tech Spectrum, 2008.09.08. For basic tasks – writing, email, and using the Web – a G3 Mac with Mac OS X 10.4 and sufficient memory provides plenty of power.
Tricking out your notebook for superior desktop duty, Charles W Moore, ‘Book Value, 2008.07.29. For desktop use, you don’t need to be limited by the built-in trackpad, keyboard, and display or a notebook’s compromised ergonomics.
The Compressed Air Keyboard Repair, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2008.07.24. If your keyboard isn’t working as well as it once did, blasting under the keys with compressed air may be the cure.
Macs: Better by design, Tamara Keel, Digital Fossils, 2008.07.11. From the beginning, Macs have stood apart from other computers with their attractive and intelligent design.
Pros and cons of using Linux on a WallStreet PowerBook, Larry Stotler, Linux on the Low End, 2008.05.06. The old PowerBook G3 Series notebooks aren’t without a few quirks when running openSUSE Linux, but for the most part they are good performers.
Fossil WallStreet PowerBook G3 still useful after 10 years, Tamara Keel, Digital Fossils, 2008.05.05. The PowerBook G3 Series had a magnificent keyboard, supports two long-life batteries, and runs the Classic Mac OS with aplomb. It’s great for writing writing, email, and even surfing the Web.
Maxed out WallStreet runs Tiger quite nicely, Brian Deuel, My Turn, 2008.05.05. It’s no speed demon, but with a 300 MHz CPU, 512 MB of RAM, and a newer hard drive, it’s a cheap way to have a notebook Mac.
Overpriced Macs, 4-core Mac Pro value, USB for G3 PowerBooks, and more, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.04.24. Also reader feedback on running a keyboard through the dishwasher, tips for using external DVD drives, and 8 GB partition issues with the Classic Mac OS on the beige G3.
EmpowerBook, Tamara Keel, Digital Fossils, 2008.04.22. The goal: distraction-free writing on the go. But which PowerBook or iBook is best for the job?
Power your recycled laptop with a rebuilt battery, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 2008.02.20. Old notebook computers usually mean old batteries that may be dead or on their last legs. You can buy a replacement battery, or you can have your old battery rebuilt.
3 ways to better YouTube viewing on older Macs, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 2008.02.06. Watching YouTube videos in your browser on G3 Macs can be painfully slow, but there are several ways to improve your YouTube viewing experience.
Reasons for sticking with the Classic Mac OS, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 2007.10.30. Whether it’s the simplicity, elegance, speed, or desire not to replace lots of expensive hardware, there are lots of good reasons for sticking with Mac OS 9.
My PowerBook pilgrimage, 1996 to present, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2007.09.24. Starting with a grayscale PowerBook 5300 bought end-of-life in late 1996, the author has used six different ‘Book models over the past 11 years
Jaguar on WallStreet: Not as slow as you might think!, Leo Titus LeBron V, Collection Spotlight, 2007.07.11. A 233 MHz PowerBook G3 with 192 MB of RAM and a new hard drive performs quite comfortably with Mac OS X 10.2.x.
Why Apple must continue G3 support in Mac OS X 10.5 ‘Leopard’, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2007.05.08. “We’re worried about what happens if Apple unchecks that box in Xcode to include the instructions necessary to run OS X on G3 processors at all.”
Format Any Drive for Older Macs with Patched Apple Tools, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2007.04.25. Apple HD SC Setup and Drive Setup only work with Apple branded hard drives – until you apply the patches linked to this article.
Is Ubuntu Linux a sensible alternative for Mac users?, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.09.18. If your Mac can run OS X decently, is there any reason to try Ubuntu Linux? If it can’t run OS X well, is Ubuntu a reasonable choice?
Mac OS 8 and 8.1: Maximum Size, Maximum Convenience, Tyler Sable, Classic Restorations, 2006.09.11. Mac OS 8 and 8.1 add some useful new features and tools, and it can even be practical on 68030-based Macs.
PDQ PowerBook G3 at 8: Still Useful Or Too Long In Tooth?, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.09.05. The WallStreet and PDQ PowerBooks were Apple’s most expandable ‘Books ever, but is even that enough to keep them practical in the era of OS X?
Is the G3 still a practical choice?, Matthew Jay, Macs to the Max, 2006.08.10. Although the G3 is several generations old, it has enough horsepower for most of the things we do on our computers.
Preparing your Mac’s hard drive for Linux, Larry Stotler, Linux on the Low End, 2006.08.09. Before you install Linux, you have to partition your hard drive. A look at three different hard drive strategies for Mac Linux.
Customizing Mac OS 9, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.08.01. Fiddling with themes, picking a browser, and making the Classic Mac OS work just the way you want it to.
The ins and outs of booting Linux on the Mac, Larry Stotler, Linux on the Low End, 2006.07.31. “Old World” Macs can’t boot directly into Linux. They need to boot the Classic Mac OS first, then pass control over to Linux.
7 tools for keeping your laptop (uh, notebook) cool, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.07.24. A quick look at the Podium CoolPad, ChillMat, ChillHubs, Laptop Desk, Xpad, iLap, and iBreeze – seven stands designed to keep you ‘Books running cooler.
Apple’s WallStreet PowerBook G3 at 8 years old, Charles W Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2006.05.04. Probably the most flexible, expandable PowerBook ever, the G3 Series offered desktop performance to go – and today it’s a good deal on the used market. Also, the WallStreet CPU Upgrade Guide.
New homes for 3 WallStreet PowerBooks, Thomas Ahart, The Productive Mac, 2006.04.07. Although they may need a little restoration work, these are fine machines for using the classic Mac OS in the field.
Web browser tips for the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2006.01.03. Tips on getting the most out of WaMCom, Mozilla, Internet Explorer, iCab, Opera, and WannaBe using the classic Mac OS.
The best browsers for PowerPC Macs and the classic Mac OS, Nathan Thompson, Embracing Obsolescence, 2005.12.16. Two browsers stand out from the pack: iCab 3 is modern and remains under development, and WaMCom brings Mozilla to older Macs.
WallStreet hinge repair saga, Charles W. Moore, Road Warrior, Mac Opinion, 2004.08.31. “Jacek Rochacki…has submitted an illustrated chronicle of how he replaced the broken hinges in his WallStreet with better ones of his own design and hand craftsmanship.”
iFixIt Guide: PowerBook G3 WallStreet, PB FixIt. All you need to know to take apart, upgrade, repair, and put your PowerBook back together again. Online and print versions available.
WallStreet redivivus – and laptop heat issues, Charles W Moore, Road Warrior, Mac Opinion, 2003.11.04. “In which the author’s WallStreet rises Phoenix-like from the ashes of a processor meltdown.”
Flash memory improves PowerBook, Dan Knight, Mac Daniel, 2002.11.14. Using Compact Flash to boot, save files, run silently, extend battery life, and as virtual memory on a PowerBook.
Rage at being left behind, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 2001.12.24. It’s official – Apple doesn’t plan to support graphics acceleration for any Mac with ATI Rage video.
OS X graphics speedup with early ATI video, Mac OS X: Optimizing for Earlier ATI Graphics Accelerators, 2001.03.09. ATI Rage II+, IIc, Pro, and LT Pro faster displaying thousands of colors, not millions.
SCSI and FireWire Disk Modes, Paulo Rodrigues, Tangerine Fusion, 2000.11.29. How to use SCSI Disk Mode and FireWire Target Disk Mode for ultrafast file transfers.
