Using BeOS on a Power Mac

In my past couple articles (BeOS or NeXT: Did Apple make the wrong choice? and User Interface: Mac vs. BeOS), I’ve described parts of BeOS. It’s a technically impressive OS that lacks some of the finesse that the Mac OS has.

PowerBook 145b

2001 – When the word gets out that you want old Macs, people respond. A reader of this column recently donated several Macs to our school, including an old (1993) PowerBook 145b. Since my PowerBook 5300cs was stolen from a storeroom last fall, I have been ‘Bookless, and all computing has been restricted to home […]

Using Internet Explorer’s Advanced Features

2001 – We explored ways to increase the browsing speed of Internet Explorer (IE) a few weeks ago. As IE offers more than mere “get to the pages” browsing, we want to take advantage of all its features. With IE 5.0, Microsoft has added some great features.

User Interface: Mac vs. BeOS

Last week I talked about some of the advantages that BeOS has over Mac OS X. When Steve Jobs first demonstrated Mac OS X, Mac users got a taste of their own medicine – we’re used to having a superiority complex.

BeOS and BFS, the BeOS Filing System

I’m glad that my previous article has generated some interest and that David Puett took the time to clarify some points that I skimmed over in his BeOS or NeXT: Did Apple Make the Wrong Choice. I agree that I oversimplified some things in my article. Still, I think some of my ideas were generally correct, […]

Origin of the 75 Mac Advantages

I’ve gotten all sorts of interesting mail regarding the revised 75 Mac Advantages series I’ve been working on, but by far the most interesting letter I got was this one from Dan Edelen, the original author of the 75 Macintosh Advantages booklet. With his permission, I am reprinting his letter here for you read about […]

OS X via FireWire

2001: The “Read Before You Install” document on the Mac OS X install CD says that installing Mac OS X on a FireWire or USB drive is unsupported. That means it doesn’t work, right?

The Computer for the Best of Us

2001: Charles Moore recently wrote a short piece on Applelinks, Macs Still Cost Too Much, discussing how Macs are too expensive when compared to PCs. While hardly one to drag an old argument out of the closet (Macs have better components, Macs last longer, etc.), I will admit that Charles does have a point.

Organize Your Files and Never Lose Track of Them

2001 – Before we get started, let me introduce a new feature to iBasics. I will rate tips in terms of difficulty, from easy to intermediate to expert. As the focus of the column is basics, we will mostly go through easy and intermediate topics, but sometimes an “expert” tip will be useful, especially as […]

BeOS or NeXT: Did Apple Make the Wrong Choice?

It’s hard to believe it has been four years. In early 1997, Power Computing announced that they would ship BeOS with its clones. An upstart clone maker shipping an upstart OS, if you will. This was big news, since BeOS fixed many of the problems that System 7 faced. The discussions from then sounds all […]

Home Network Throughput

In a previous article, I talked about creating an MP3 server out of a Quadra 630. At that time, I asserted that it could handle the job, but I hadn’t really tested it out. Now I’d like to put a few numbers on my Quadra’s performance and talk about optimizing it.

4 Years of Low End Mac

2001 – Four years ago, there was no Low End Mac. There were good resources for PowerBooks and Power Macs, but support for older models was spotty. You might find a really good Mac Plus page or a site with excellent Mac IIfx info, but I couldn’t find a comprehensive resource covering the oldest Macs.

Exploiting Hailstorm

2001: Microsoft recently announced it’s Hailstorm initiative. In a nutshell, Hailstorm is a storage system for the personal information of its users.

PowerBook Value

2001 – Two weeks ago, in What’s Wrong with PowerBooks, I wrote about some negatives of PowerBooks, and last week I looked at the other side in What’s Right with PowerBooks. So what does it all mean?

Windows XP Beta 2: Only 106,500 Bugs

A senior programmer high in Microsoft’s Windows XP development team has written me with details on many additional improvements WinXP packs that were previously unknown to testers of XP Beta 2. The focus of the email was on the bugs in XP Beta 2.

Going High End Requires Some Adjusting

It had to happen, what with Dan Knight getting a new TiBook and retiring his Umax SuperMac S900. Dan sets the tone of things for the now-former Low End Mac, being the founder, publisher, editor, and all, and there is nothing “low end” about a titanium G4 PowerBook.

iPerforma

This is a review of iPerforma, the next generation of Macs to hit the desktop and replace my vintage Performa.

Firmware Truth

Remember last weekend? Apple quietly released a firmware update Friday evening that disabled third-party memory in a lot of newer Macs. By Saturday morning, the Mac Web was abuzz with warnings and theories.

Just Wait

I must respectfully disagree with the new focus of Low End, er, make that High End Mac. Simply replacing your old Mac every two years, or three at most, isn’t the whole solution to Apple’s financial crisis or the consumer’s lust for power.

Lost Desktop Pattern

Q: My favorite desktop pattern disappeared. How do I get it back? A: Buy a new computer. With a faster machine, you’ll save precious time…

The Virtues of a G4

I don’t understand why Low End Mac readers stick with your old clones or pre-G3 computers. I’ve been using Macintoshes since 1994, and most of the time I’ve had one of the latest machines. To me, living without the latest, most powerful stuff is unthinkable.

About High End Mac

Hey, what happened to Low End Mac? Have you guys gone nuts? No. We realize that the future of the Macintosh platform is intimately tied to the future of Apple Computer. If you don’t buy a new Mac every now and then, Apple suffers financially…

Buy New Every Two

A local auto dealer has been pushing “drive new every two” for a few years. It’s also become the norm in the Windows world, where three years used to be the norm. Mac users, it’s time to make “buy new every two” our battle cry as well!